TO PROTECT ANIMALS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 91, 3 September 1912, Page 4

TO PROTECT ANIMALS.

ENTHUSIASTIC PUBLIC MEETING. BRANCH FORMED OF S.P.C.A. The Borough Council Chambers were not nearly large enough to hold the big concourse of people, among whom thcr? was a large sprinkling of ladies, who attended in response to an advertisement asking all those interest»d in the formation of a branch of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to show their sympathy by being present. The chair was taken by the Mayor (Mr. G. W. Browne]j who briefly introduced the subject. Mr. Brown then moved: ''That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that a branch of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals should be formed in New Plymouth." The Rev. A. H. Colvile seconded the motion, and said he supposed that the instinct that impelled us to take an interest at least in such a. society had both a positive and a negative side. The negative side was largely expressed in the simple dislike by all kind-hearted men, strong men, and'true sportsmen for cruelty towards animals. This was all very well as far as it went, but it very often did not go far enough. Mere dislike was not enough to be sufficiently definite. The positive side of the impelling instinct was a far more worthy thing. It was a desire to protect from cruelty those who were unable to protect themselves. Animals' claim upon man's protection rested, in the first place, not on purely sentimental and humanitarian grounds, but rather on the grounds of simple elementary justice. Our dumb friends had certain definite inalienable rights of their own. Like men they were God's creatures, and they, like us, had a great love of life and happiness. They had a right to as much happiness as possible, consietent with man's legitimate use of them. The claims of the society were based upon the call of justice, but also for the sake of our own characters, and more still the characters of our' future citizens. The society would be educative of character as well as protective to animals. In particular did the promoters hope to touch the characters of young children. The object of the society was prevention, not vindictiveness. It was not its aim in the first place to prosecute. Its main object was to prevent cruelty by moral suasion, giving solemn warnings, and, if necessary, by prosecution. Other speakers were Messrs, Roy, Munro, W. F. Sandford and W. Ambury, and subsequently the motion was unanimously carried amidst no small display of enthusiasm. The membership fees were fixed at 5s for men, 3s 6d for ladies, and Is for children. Officers were elected as follows:—President, Mr. G. W. Browne; hon. secretary, Mr. G. F. Robinson; hon. treasurer, Mr. J. Paton; committee, the Rev. A. H. Colvile, Dr. Leatham and Messrs. Munro, F. W. Sandford, E. F. Blundell and E. Sole; hon. veterinary surgeon, Mr. F. Orbell. The president will be the Mavor of New Plymouth for the time being. The appointment of honorary solicitors, and the drafting of rules, was referred to the committee. The committee wa« also authorised to engage a salaried inspector.