CORRESPONDENCE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 9190, 14 August 1880, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

« . CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. TO THE BDIIOE, Sir, — I notice your issue oE yesterday has an unusual number of startling offences, and, judging from the heading of some of them, you seem to have been aware of the fact, and at the same time somewhat astonished at the number more than_ their character, which, I must say, is very varied, as. is also the age of some of the offenders. lam rather surprised that, out of such a number of cases, not one seems to have drawn forth a single remark from your pen, especially the one where father and son were both implicated, and both committed for trial. Now this is a very grave case nt first sight, but on looking into it as regards sheep-driving, it is nothing more than what is daily occurring. Lately there have been large numbers oE sheep driven from the Manawatu to Hawera, and- the stations lying between, while it is well known that many are left by the wayside, very much to the annoyance oE the sheep farmers, through whose lands they pasß. It [is very seldom anyone can be got to admit they left any sheep on any one else's ground, especially if there is any scrub in the district. The -law is not sufficiently strict in this matter, and the difficulty in finding owners prevents private individuals from takiDg action in the matter, except to bury tho festering carcases that are found on the road adjoining their paddocks. The case in your paper of this morning is one that ought to be shown up, for two very glaring reasons. " First, 'the cruelty and indifference o£ tho driver in leaving a dumb animal, with its leg broken in two parts, to die a most miserable and languishing death. Second, the neglect of duty on the part of the Resident Magistrate in not committing him under Martin's Act for cruelty to animals; — I , am, &c., A Member of the A. & P. Association. August 13 th, 1880.