The fourth Annual Meeting of the Otago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held in the Town Hall buildings on Wednesday evening. Mr. Justice Williams (President) occupied the chair, and there was a sparse attendance.

The Chairman said he regretted very much that there should be such a small attendance that evening, and especially regretted the absence of any ladies. But it was only reasonable, looking at the inclemency of the weather, that there should be a small attendance. Several familiar faces were absent on this occasion. Archdeacon Edwards was unfortunately confined to the house by illness. The Rev. Dr. Stuart had forwarded a note of apology stating he was sorry that an engagement into which he had entered in ignorance of the time of the Annual Meeting of the Society would prevent his being at the meeting. Dr. Stuart further said in the note :—"I would like to say that the Society is, in a quiet was, pervading the community with the sense of our obligation to treat with kindness the animal creation, which is so serviceable to our race." Mr. Dick, one of their Vice-Presidents, was also unable to be present; and Mr. Livingston, the Treasurer, and Mr. Wilkie, one of the members of Committee, were both prevented by indisposition from attending. Copies of the Report, he thought, had been circulated among the Members, and he presumed it would be taken as read.—(Assent.) He would now move its adoption. There was really very little to say beyond what was contained in the Report. They would see that their Society, in common with every society in Dunedin, had suffered from the hard times; that though they had a respectable credit balance, yet their operations had been to a considerable extent crippled for want of funds; and funds were especially necessary, as stated in the Report, for the purpose of "printing and circulating cautions and appeals on behalf of our dumb clients." He thought it would not be difficult with the aid of a little canvassing, especially if ladies would help them in their canvass, to get a number of additional members. The subscription was very small, and if they could obtain 20 or 30 additional members at 5s. apiece it would help the Society very considerably. The Report showed what had been done by the Society during the past, year : 131 cases had been investigated; 15 persons were prosecuted, all of whom, with one exception, were convicted. There was one matter which had not been mentioned in the Report, and that was this :—At the last Annual Meeting it was suggested that there should be a ladies' committee to assist the ordinary Committee in the work of the Society. He believed a ladies' committee had been appointed, but they had hardly yet got into working order. It was to be hoped that in the future the opera- page 10 tions of the Society would be materially benefited by their assistance, It might be mentioned that several ladies had attended the meetings of the ordinary Committee of the Society. Inspector Weldon and the police under his charge had, as would be seen by the Report, worked in complete harmony with the Society, and the Committee wished to point out that the thanks of the Society were due to Inspector Weldon and the officers under him. They would observe in the Balance-sheet that no charge had been made for legal expenses, although the Society had conducted a number of prosecutions. It would also be seen that no charges had been made for the services of veterinary surgeons. The services of solicitors and veterinary surgeons were given gratuitously by honorary solicitors and veterinary surgeons, who had, as the Committee stated, been at all times most ready to give their professional services when required. The following letter from the Rev. Mr. Gibb had just now been put into his hand :—"I should have very much liked to be present at the Annual Meeting of the above Society, over which you preside, to-night. It is, howerer, impossible for me to attend. I write to express regret that I cannot be present, and to say that I very deeply sympathise with the objects of the Society."

Mr. R. K. Murray said it afforded him much pleasure indeed to second the adoption of the Report. The Society was one that quietly and unobtrusively prosecutes its work, but its objects must commend themselves to every man who possessed the instincts of our common humanity. If they looked at the Report for the year they would find that the Society had done an immense service to the community. One remarkable feature was that all the persons connected with the Society were doing their work gratuitously. If this were not the case the work could never have been carried on successfully, because, it would be observed, the gross revenue and expenditure was excessively small. Another remarkable feature referred to in the Report was that there had been a change made in the law, giving to magistrates power to deal with cases where animals suffered. A case occurred during the present year in which neither the driver nor the animal seemed to get a sufficiency of food. The horse fell down purely through want of food; and he believed some persons went to his Worship and asked if he would give them power to end the sufferings of the animal then and there. He said, "If I give you power I will have to pay for the animal," and the animal was allowed to continue suffering in consequence. Since then the law had been altered, and if any magistrate found an animal incurable he had the power to put an end to its misery. The alteration of the law was one of many instances of good done by the Society. He did not think it was necessary to refer to other matters, as the Report spoke for itself.

The motion for the adoption of the Report was then put to the Meeting, and crrried unanimously.