" A MERCIFUL MAN IS MERCIFUL TO HIS BEAST."

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1344, 10 February 1881, Page 3

" A MERCIFUL MAN IS MERCIFUL TO HIS BEAST."

, TO THE EDITOR. Sir— Seeing what a deservedly largo circulation your paper has, I yenture to appeal to your humanity, and ask if you could ! not, now and then, find space in its pages I to call attention to what is indeed a crying shame in tbia colony, viz., cruelty to animals. I allude more particulary to the treatment of horses, which are, in truth, one of — if not the greatest of all gifts of God to man. We have lectures on this subject and on that ; we have collections , and subscriptions started for one or another "worthy" object; we have sermons preached to us on drunkenness, immorality, charity to our neighbours, " doing unto all as we would they should do unto us :" we have it dinned into our ears about the noble work of missionaries converting the heathen. Every ciuelty practised by eavagea (who know no better) is brought to light for our benefit, but rarely, if ever, do we hear one word from the pulpit on man's inhumanity to his best friend, the poor dumb suffering horse. Is it that ministers cannot do this conscientiously ? because they feel they themselves do not act up to what they preach, or is it from careless indifference to what goes on waround them, beyond their church matters, schools, and choir misunderstandings ! Will no one raise his voice on behalf of these illueed beasts of burden ? Not one instanoe, but fifty, could I bring forward to prove that tho way horses are treated by those who call themselves men, shows how very little superior we are, with all our education (secular or religious) to those uncivilized savages, whose cruelties oar clergy are so fond of holding before our eyes The law in England is stringent enough on this point. 'Tis a pity that, amongst all the wonderful "Acts" of our N.Z. Hou«e of Representatives the law cannot be made equally stringent here and enforced. Cannot the police in these country districts bo obliged to take more notice of the daily acts of cruelty which they gee perpetrated under their eyes. Cases without end of crushed backs, raw and bleeding shoulders, horses so lame they can scarcely ccawl, still urged on with whip and spur and curses — over-ridden, 6* dragging weight far beyond their strength ; and yet how willingly the poor animals try to do their best, no matter what pain they are suffering ! And when, at last, then 1 work is done, they are turned out into paddocks almost bare of feed, and, what is worse than all, with no water, which latter great want applies not merely to horses, but to all dumb animals. And we are an enlightened and Christian people ! Oh, Mr Editor, do not pass this subject by with indifference, thinking, like so many others, Clid bono ? What can I do ? Try : you may do good. You may help, even a little, to remedy this growing evil— this increasing blot— amongst many another, on man's fast-fading similitude to that Divine Image in whose likeness he was created. — I am, &c, HUMANITAS. Cambridge, Feb. Bth, 1881.