POLITICAL NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2259, 3 August 1908, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

SHEARERS’ ACCOMMODATION BILL.

CRUELTY TO ANIAIALS. [SrsciAL to “Times.”] WELLINGTON, August 1. It was stated last, week by Mr. J. G AVilson, President of the Fanners’ Union, that owing to the definition of “shearer” in the Shearers’ Accommodation ißiiil this measure would apply not only to sheds of six stands or more, as provided by the existing Act, hut also to smaller sheds. On the attention of the Alinistor for Labor (Hon. J. A. Alillar) being called to this, statement, he replied that the intention of the -Bill had been misunderstood, and he re-affirm-ed the statement he had already mad© in the House, that it would not alter the present law in this respect. He added that tile Bill would not apply to sheds built under the Act now ‘in force, but only to new sheds. The Alinister also denied a rumor that ithe Government contemplated dropping the Bill, which has gone to the Labor Bills Committee. A new definition of cruelty is sought to be established by “an Act for the better prevention of cruelty to aniiriiils,” which is being introduced by Mr. Laurenson. It is as follows: “Causing unnecessary suffering' to animals such as slaughtering domestic animals for food without previously stunning, pigeon shooting from traps, coursing in enclosures of bares and rabbits, burning horses months ifor lampas, docking horses’ tails, overhead check rein, and chained boundary docs.”