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PREVENTION OF CRUELTY T0
ANIMALS.
A public meeting was held yesterday afternoon at
the Freemasons' Hall, for the purpose of forming a
society for the prevention of cruelty to animals. His
Excellency the Governor presided and there was a
large attendance, including many of the leading mem-¿
bers of the Legislature and the learned professions,
and a good number of ladies.
After the Hon. Treasurer of the movement, Mr. C.
E. Walch had read the advertisement convening the
meeting,
His Excellency said it gave him much pleasure to
preside upon that occasion for he had long recognised
the necessity for some such society as that which
was proposed. Similar societies had been formed in the
neighbouring colonies and other parts of the world,
and he was pleased that one had been inaugurated in
Tasmania during his term of office. The society had
both his own hearty sympathy and that of Mrs. Weld,
and he was pleased to show it by occupying the chair
upon that occasion. The cause was so good a one that
he need at that stage say little in support of it, and,
reserving any further remarks until later on, he would
now simply call on the mover of the first resolution.
Sir J. M. Wilson said he moved the first reso-
lution with much pleasure, for in every civilised
community a necessity existed for such a society
as it proposed to establish. England had set
a noble example in legislating for the suppression
of cruelty to animals, and it had been followed by
most of the countries of Europe and the Australian
colonies. The Tasmanian Legislature had passed an
act dealing with the subject which was more suitable
to the colony than the English measure, and which
enforced the duty of humanity towards the lower
animals. It behoved every country to teach that duty
to the young, a duty which the platform, press, and
the pens of the most distinguished writers were being
employed in upholding. That the rising generation
needed to be taught this lesson was shown by a recent
local instance of extreme cruelty to a cat which had
come before the Police Court, and such cases demanded
to be put down by the strong arm of the law as an ex-
ample to all such evil doers. But it was not by the
force of the law that they desired to train the young
of the colony to treat dumb animals humanely, but
by moral lessons, and nothing could contribute more
to these lessons having due weight and influence than
to see His Excellency, taking so much interest in the
proposed society, and his presence in the chair that
evening surrounded by so large a gathering of ladies,
who were also animated with a lively sympathy for
its object. Such a gathering showed that Tasmanians
were unsurpassed for kindness and humanity. He
thought they were much indebted for the manner in
which they had worked to bring about the present
meeting. (Applause). It might be invidious to men-
tion names, but he would be permitted to refer to the
valuable aid rendered by Lady Weld who always
earnestly promoted good and useful objects. (Applause.)
As the hour for the assembling of Parliament was
approaching he would not say any more, but move the
following resolution:-"That a society for the pre-'
vention of cruelty to animals be established in
Tasmania."
The hon. J. W. Agnew, M.L.C., seconded the
resolution. He said that the desirability of having
such a society as that proposed was too apparent to
need any advocacy from him, especially as the resolu-
tion had been so admirably proposed by Sir J. M.
Wilson. The resolution was carried unanimously.
Dean Bromby in moving the second resolution, ex-
pressed the pleasure it gave him to do anything he could
to aid so good a work as the object of the meeting. He
thought they should take high ground in estimating
the work of the society, that they should not only deem
it as an auxiliary to the existing law for the prevention
of cruelty to animals, but that they should deem this
prevention to form parts of their Christian duty.
For the humane treatment of the brute creation was
enjoined by the Bible, and the same has been empha-
tically laid upon them by our Saviour's words, so that
it might be considered to form one of the foundations
of Christianity. Therefore we should teach our
children to treat kindly the dumb creatures which
ministered so much to man's uses and enjoyments, and
he thought that the child so taught would in after
years possess many of the elements of nobility, and be-
tray a more considerate tenderness, more moral courage,
and a more chivalrous bearing towards others than if
the law of kindness had not been taught him in early
life. He believed that the considerate treatment of
dumb animals was pleasing in the sight of God, and
must not the poet's words come home with much force
to all -
"He prayeth best who loveth best,
All things both great and small :
For the dear Lord who loveth us,
Has made and loves them all."
There was much unnecessary anguish and suffering
abroad in the world, and as a celebrated writer had
said, one of the saddest things in human experience was
that while it would often take so little to remove much of
this pain and suffering, that little was so seldom done.
He thought it would be a worthy endeavour for the society
to remove but a small amount of the preventible
suffering occasioned to dumb animals, whoso intelli-
gence, called instinct, was so narrowly and mysteriously
allied to reason. The Dean then moved the second reso-
lution, which was as follows:-"That the following
ladies and gentlemen be appointed officers of such society,
viz. :-- President: His Excellency tho Go vernor.!!', i A.
Wold, Esq., O.M.G. ; Vice-ProsidentB: Mrs. Wold
and Lady Wilson ; Hon. Secretary i Louisa A. Mero,
dith ; Hon. Treasurer : C. E. Walch, Esq. j Hon.
Solicitor: J. Mitchell, Esq.; Hon. Veterinary Sur.
Keon : Archibald Park, Esq., M.11.0. V.S. ¡ Committee:
Sir Jamos M. Wilson, ICO.M.G., The Honorable J.
W. Agnew, M.D., The Honorable Chas. Meredith,
M.H.A., Morton Allpnrt, Esq., Mrs. Wm. Walker,
Mrs. Jas, Walch, Miss Gellibrand, Miss Garrett,
Horny Hunter, Esq., Win. St. P. Gellibrand, Esq.
The Hon. W, R. Giui.in seconded tho resolution.
Ho Baid he had been forestalled too much of what ho
intended to say by his friend tho Dean, and by a
writer signing himself " Humanitas," whose letter
appeared in that day's Mercury, and with which he
cordially agreed. Ho might, however, allude to the
objection which some people made to such societies as
tho one proposed ; that their object was weak and
sentimental ; that thoro was something effiminate in
hnying regard for tho Bufferings of the lower order of
animals. Ho coinbutted this opinion as being an erro-
neous one, and he was glad that the large assemblage
beforo bim Bhowcd by their prcsonco that they had no
sympathy with such extraordinary viows as these. He"
was rather of opinion that tho formation of the society
was an evidence of tho growth of a vigorous and
healthy sentiment in the colony. The cruelty to
animals, which it was the Iaudablo object of the
socioty to chock, aroso in somo measure from
heartlossnoss, and nl-o. as a writer had pointod out,
from the assertion of a sense of dominion over the
brute creation. Fow, it had boan said, wore fit to be
trusted with the absoluto dominion of any living
thing, mid the «ociety would act as n.wiso check,
upon the abuse of this possession of pnwois to ill-treat '
If i the young wero tutored against iiillioting pain upon
animals much would bo done towards «becking cruelty.
and it devolved upon teachers of both seoular and
Sunday Schools, ministers, parents and guardians to
instruct the rising generation that to .maltreat them
was dograding and sinful. Mr. Giblin concluded
by saying that the list of tho proposod olllcors he had
read would inspiro confidence ¡n tho sooiotyaud euBure
its success
Tho resolution was'unanimously oarriod.
Mr.' Russell Youno moved tho adoption of the
draft of rules submitted, tho principal one i of which
was tho following :-2. Tho object of this society shall
bo to prevent cruelty to animals by enforcing, where
practicable, the existing laws; by procuring such
further legislation ns may bo found expodient ; by
exciting and sustaining an intelligent public opinion
rognrding man's duty lo animals ¡ and by nil such
further and othor ways and means as the Gonoral
Committee may deem oxpedient. Rulo 7 determined
that the society shall bo called "The Tasmanian
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to AuimalB."
Mr. Young said that the principio tho socioty Bhould
aim at inculcating was that tho neodleos inflictioniof
pain was abhorrent to a properly-constituted ' mind.
Ho gavo the ladies great credit for their oxorlions to
bring about tho formation of the society. (Applause.)
The Rev. W. J. Dunne socondod the adoption,of
the rules which woro carried.
Mr. Walch returnod thanks on behalf of tho'omce
boars for their oloction and roforred in'oulogiatio terms
to tho work tho Indies had done, Baying that without
thoir efforts that meeting would not have boon hold.
Ho specially alluded to the prominent part which Mrs.
Meredith had takou in the movement.
Mrs. Meiiciutii soconded the volo of thanks and
took occasion to disclaim the credit ascribod to hoi
which she snid bettor bolonged to her indefatigable
colleague, Aliss Gellibrand.
His Excellency in replying to tho voto of thanks,
counselled the socioty not lo talco an oxtrome
course in pursuing its work, as for instanco, bv taking
up a position hostilo to hunting, coursing, and Bindiar
sportB. He could not go with the society so far ns'to
condemn theso pastimes ns cruelty, and bo oonsistout,
as ho was tho patron of various clubs formod to fostor
thom, nnd was au old «portsman. But ho hoartily
condemned cold hloodod, brutal, and dollborato cruelty,
and would uko to soe it punished by Hogging, which
would appeal to perhaps tho only sonsibilitlos suoh
dastardly ofiondors possossod, and make thom fool
tho pam they inflicted upon unnlfondlns and help-
less animals. Ko did not soo much forco in the
opposing argument that corporal chastisement was
degrading, for tho first mon of England lind boen
floggod whon nt sohool, nnd it could not very much
dobaso ourlarrikinB to Bubjoet thom to this same treat-
ment when thoy woro guilty of tho baso act of com-
mitting torturo.
The proceedings then torminatod.
The bcBt lady'« oompuign, to the boll-root»-A
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