Cattle on The Railway.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4462, 14 September 1909, Page 2

Cattle on The Railway.

FIVE TEAMPLED TO DEATH.

A SHOCKING case has been reported to the Inspector for the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. A consignment of cattle which had been purchased at Woodlands, Southland on Friday, reached Addington at 8.30 p.m, after a journey of 30 hours. It was found that five of the animals had been tramnled to death, all presenting a most gruesome spectacle, the bodies being completely flattened out aod most of the skins being denuded of hair and. blackened and bleeding. The consignor stated that the cattle were all put m / trucks in splendid condition, and could account for the mortality and injuries only by regarding them as the result of careless shunting, and the cattle being too long in the trucks. He suggested that no beasts remain in the trucks longer than eighteen hours, and that an a-tendant should accompany the tram to assist fallen animals. . The inspector said the mistaken idea was abroad that the more cattle crowded into a truck the better they would tr itwas decided that the chairman and secretary draft a letter to the Minister for Railways as to the need for investigation into the matter and for regulations limiting the number of cattle carried in a truck,