IMPORTANT TO RAILWAY COMPANIES.
At the Wandsworth Police-court, yesterday, three horse- dealers living at Portsmouth and Chichester were charged under the 12th section of the 12th and 13th Vict., chap. 92, with causing certain horses to be ‟carried and conveyed in such a manner as to subject them to unnecessary pain and suffering.”Mr. Butler Rigby appeared for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, assisted by Mr. Beard and the secretary to tbe society. Mr. Lilley defended. From the evidence it appeared that the defendants had hired, at the Petersfield Station of the South-Western Railway, two cattle trucks open in the inside, and without dividing partitions or compartments, into each of which they placed several living horses which they had purchased for dogs’ meat, and caused them to be conveyed to London in such trucks. The horses were weak and decrepit and during the journey some of them sank upon the floor of the vehicle and were trampled upon and kicked by the standing horses, and all of the animals, owing to such violence, were more or less wounded. Upon arrival at the Nine Elms Station, some were dead, others were unable to rise, and all of them were suffering from injuries, and from hunger and thirst. The goods manager having communicated with the secretary of the society, officers were despatched to the spot, and gave food and water to those horses able to eat, and caused the bruised and dying ones to be killed. Several parts of horse shoes were found at the bottom of the truck, which had been thrown off by animals in their struggles. The society considered these facts good proofs of an offence, and that the suffering followed as a consequence of the practice of conveying emaciated or infirm horses in railway trucks in a drove, when by a sudden jolt, or by exhaustion the weakest would inevitably fall and become trampled upon and they contended that knackers’ horses, like other horses, should be provided with horse-boxes, or they should be killed in the country, and their bodies conveyed in carcase or as boiled meat for dogs.
After several objections by the learned advocate for the defence, which were overruled.
Mr. Dayman said—There can be no doubt that the defendants are liable under this statute, and that the Railway Company is also equally liable. It certainly is a most improper mode of conveyance, and must cause animals, which have been sold because they have been worn out, and are at death’s door, much unnecessary suffering. I am aware the practice is almost universal, but it is nevertheless reprehensible, and ought to be suppressed.
Mr. Colam said he had no doubt it would be, after the expression of the magistrate’s opinion on that occasion, as he intended to lay before every railway board in the kingdom a copy of these proceedings.
Mr. Dayman said he would inflict heavy penalties in future cases, but in these, which were the first of the kind, he should fine the defendants in a mere nominal sum and costs, as the object of the society was merely to prove the illegality of the practice. He thought all this ought to be prevented, however, by railway managers, who had the remedy in their own hands.
Company is also equally ?? improper mode of conveyance and m?,-T 7 a - mo , st which have been sold bISSS JlK^ ammals > and are at death's door, _SHniSL£_? SRI™ r° Ut ' aware the practice is almost u_tver?_ ?? itfu S ' It™ te reprehensible and ougLT^upp^ M WwwQu> ' fuUa.;^ a b ut S t d ft c heavy penalties in he shoidd fin^l » Vf h63 ?? Whlck were the «te®. the kind, cosfa , _,th P obWi. def ri aDt3 in a mere nominal sum and Oteditv o thJ ' ? was merely to prove the ?? fh? PraCtl l e ' He thou S ht all thfs ou B ht t0 *>« Syt'theiTow.^^^ manager3 ' Wh ° had the The Corps of Commissionaires.— Eight men C a rTT a e r. orP u are _ IOW , r ?? dut ? Mau extra Police force in Carnarvonshire, to assist in forming a cordon to nrov^t *K_ spread of the cattle disease. ?? r eS. i,o take similar employment in other counties, J