CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 133, 29 October 1914, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

CRUELTY TO • ? To the Editor, Sir,—ln your Tuesday's issue I read with interest the kindly, yet ardent, appeal by the Rev, A. il. Colvilc, on behalf of tile lower animals, but this (Wednesday morning) 1 find the same reverend gentleman expressing himself very vigorously against those who are seeking to protect men, women and children from a trade that, brings untold, and often unnoticed, suffering on those whom the good God made in His own image. It would be interesting to compare step by step the argument for the protection of animals with that used against the work of those who are striving to protect their fellows from the horrible incubus of the drink habit: the trade for its very existence must needs encourage the habit, For both the trade and the habit the Rev. A. H. Colvile is pleading. Please notice this, sir:—Mr Colvile cuts up the ".Sporting League" because of its connection with gambling, and its utter callousness to the cruelty inllictcd on animals anil birds; then in the next place be tries to praise up the "Moderate League" which stands for the liquor trade and the liquor habit. This latter defends that which causes infinitely more suil'ering (to say nothing of uther injuries) than dons the, former. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in their report of 1011 said that in lhe previous 10 years they had dealt with cases of proved cruelty affecting 1,208,500 children, resulting in 7,711 deaths, and implicating 502,077 <rffendors. The director of the Society, Mr R. J. Parr, said that 90 per cent, of the cases were caused by intemperance on the part of either one or both parents. Where is the consistency of the reverend gentleman when he pleads for dumb animals, but does nothing to remove the 90 per cent, of the suffering of little children who really cry to him in his own language? Then again it would be amusing, if it were not in such ' a serious mattf r, (o notice how he pleads that even in this "time of stress and strain" we ought not to slacken our exertions on behalf of the work of the R.S.P.C.A., and at the same time, when J:i« brethren in the Diocesan Synod plead for the abolition of the license to sell intoxicants, he says that this question ought not to he introduced at the '[iresent time. 1 wish to speak respectfully about those who have been placed in authority, but I cannot so suppress rny right to form my own opinions, and to act on them, as to accept the leading of the vicar of St. Mary's in regard to the liquor traffic. You will believe me, sir, when I say how much I should like to say more, but I refrain, and thank you for bearing with me so far.—l am, , : etc, GEO. H. MAUNDER.