S.P.C.A.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2367, 7 December 1908, Page 6

S.P.C.A.

THE WINNING E3-SAYS

Tin; following are quotations from the winning essays in connection with the prizes offered by the East Coast Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to the children of the district public schbols: GTiSBOIINE CENTRAL SCHOOL. ‘•'Young children are naturaKy cruel-, for the sense of sympathy is not fully developed. If at_ this ago all parents would keep a. strict watch over the treatment of animals, perhaps fewer acts of cruelty would be inflicted.” —Doris Le Quesno. ‘‘When man is matched against man the contest has something of fairness in it, hut wheu a helpless dumb animail lies at the mercy of man, the very inequaf.ity of the position should stir the heart to reelings of compassion.” —W. Dumpily. “To what cruelties docs man not subject animals! He makes “sport” by killing them, ho ill-treats them so much that Societies have to be formed for the prevention of cruelty to them. Nowadays, however, education is bringing him to understand more and more a dumb creatures’ feelings. In New Zealand there exists to-clay a ‘‘sport” called coursing. For this cruel “amusement” hares are loosed in an enclosure and dogs set after them. If the hare escapes one ■clog she is caught by another. She has not a “fighting chance.” There are other countries besides British ones thiit- have Societies for the prevention of cruelty to dumb animals, but let us hope that before long loye in every country of the world will make no need for them.” —Gore Pqfter. “If man would pause to think about the lower creatures ho would recognise tile fact that animals are callable of feeling just as he himself is, but possess no power of utterance.” — A. Eyson. “The fact, that animals are dumb and helpless against us should appeal to our sense of honor and save us from the cowardice of ill-treating them.” Mary Moore. “Not so many years ago certain clubs bought- tame pigeons which they put into cages and “sportsmen” stood otf .a little way and shot them as they flew out- of the cage. Most- cruelty arises from ignorance. “I would not enter on my list of friends. He that would needlessly set foot upon a worm.” (Cowper.) —Hubert File.

“Rich people sometimes cut their horses’ tails to make them look smart, but this is very cruel. When the horse wants to brush the flies away it has no tail to do it with.” —Ruth Dunning. . “Boys will often rob a bird of her pretty nest and eggs—a nest, perhaps, that has cost the parent birds many hours of weariness. A carter will flog a poor horse which is drawing a cart too heavily laden and which has gob into a deep rut and cannot get out again. That man did not think, but he did not flog the horse for sport or for necessity—very likely he did not have sense to know that the horse would have got on better if the load had been lightened.”— Colin Anderson.

“The more civilized a country -becomes the Sess kindness is often shown to its animals. In many heathen countries the so-called savages set us a splendid example with regard to the treatment of animals. I think that their .religion is better than that of the men who make wealth their god and trample down living beings m their efforts tp obtain it. If’people knew where their furs, feathers and eider down quilts come from they might not bo so eager to buy them. Many of them are obtained in a most cruel manner and we are apt to -blame the hunters, but the fault .really lies with those who wear them.” Mary Morice-.

“You often in our streets to-day see a man thrashing a horse because it will -not -and cannot pull its load. Without the horse, ass, and bullock we would hardly be able to live, for these aliimals draw our burdens which are too heavy for us to carry. The -Society in trying to stop this cruelty is doing a kind and grateful act, and we should do our level best to help. Many men have vowed that they -will not iE-t-reut their animals, but in their hot temper they are cruel to them.” Len Sheet. MATAWHERO SCHOOL.

“Animals that are used for working purposes such as the house- should not be worked for too many hours each day, any more than a man likes working for more than his -usual hours each day.”—James Winter.

“Animals not only need food and shelter, bat they need kindness. Animals always do their best when kindly treated.” “There are different ways of being crueil to animals—one way is not giving them enough water; another wav is not giving them enough food; and another way is making them do more work than they are ab*e to do. People should treat animals as well >as they would like to he treated is theywero animals.” —Nellie Jieidy. “Everyone who is not kind to every living soul who is in need of it, rebels against our kind and merciful creator. Kindness can subdue any living animal to tameness, arid even the lion is made tame by its overpowering effects.”—Hugh Wood.

M AKA UP I SCHOOL. “Some people think that because animals >are dumb they do not feel pain. This is not .so. Animals have nerves just the same as human beings, and therefore we should be as particular :in being kind to them, as we should be to one another. If insects Smist be killed it .should be done, quickly and to give as little pain as possible .’ ’ —Aileeri Image. “Dumb animals are sometimes very wise and when their masters are in trouble they generally try to help them. Boys are sometimes very cruel to cows land horses .and then laugh, at the pain they have caused them. Such hoys could never get a horse, or in. 'fact any .animal, to bo faithful to them. When men are trying to catch a horse and it won’t let them, if somebody who has been kind to it goes out, it will walk up to them without the slightest hesitation.” MANGAPAPA SCHOOL. “Some people seem to think that animals are put into the world for their amusement. It is very cruel to lock poor little birds up in cages as pets simply because they can sing beautifully. I saw a very cruel thing the othef day. A poor horse with

Vive hoofs and a sheep with six legs oath were locked -up in cages so people could see them.” —Essie Scott.