The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1877.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 80, 25 July 1877, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1877.

On Monday..' -evening-- ..there, occurred another accident on the line near Palmerston which resulted m the destrucV tion of four cows or bullocks. Report states that as the train approached Palmerstpn from Feilding it ran into ; several cows, crushed one so as to disable it, and cut .""'off one or more; legs from two others. Shortly after leaving Palmerston on its way to Fpxton it ran over a cow, killing it outright. The viscera of this animal strewed the line for nearly a hundred feet fromsthe point where the collision took place to where the mangled carcase was thrown from the line. We have ascertained that * these particulars^ so far,: afe correct.^ - But the strangest part of the affair is^ that although some of these wretched animals had their limbs torn off within ' 1 a mile ; or so of this township, and were cast helpless beside : the track, no effort was made to '.terminate their 'existence. The, train, after •mutilating them 'passed on. through. Palmerston • where the was reported, -but the animals were left to -linger through the torture of a frosty night, and .at one o'clock yesterday, 20 hours after the accident, they were still: there>rone poor brute up to its flanks m the ice-cold water of the side cutting, and two other prostrate broken-limbed wretches close at hand. The settlers m the vicinity state that they heard the cries of these animals throughout the night, but were not then aware of the cause. This altogether is a, discreditable affair for whoever were concerned m; it. It is not the accident -itself that is .most reprehensible; that may ; have Veen unavoidable ; but it is the ruthless ;tre.atmenb of the 'brutes afterwards. If the tesponsibility for: this after-part, could be fastened, upon any ; one individual, that individual ifrpuld. certainly be within the griisp of i the law .for gross • cruelty. to ~ animals r and he should be subjected to -the the opprobrium of any -community that lays th.£ slightest claim to humane sen^ ' sibility. But we suppose that, m the absence of specific instructions, the local officials would disclaim the duty of relieving the sufferings of the brute which m the course -of their duty v have been ' accidentally inflicted. ; If they are correct m this, which we. veiy much doubt, ; the inevitable Governinent'is; of course, to "blame. They leave the lines m a naked, ttnfenced condition • the experience of years has shewn them how common athing it is for cattle tpber mown" down by the locomotive, arid yet they have issued no; instructions making it imperative upon' the officials at the' nearest station, or those m charge of the train to, save from protracted torture the brutes that have been run over. Tile only duty that seems officially to pertain to any one is to throw theliving mutilated carcases aside to make way for the next train. This is strange inhumanity to be chargeable upon a Government under whose provisions persons have been punished for cruelties which' are in' comparison trifling. But We think some, explanation is due id the public as to how the accident of Monday.evening occurred. 1 Hitherto a dark night, or a curve m the line has been a sufficient, excuse for the slaughter of animals by Strain, and poor settles have had to endure their loss without • any more satisfactory explanation; Btifr when and where this accident occurred there was neither dark night nor a curve inthelineV If matters of this kind-are allowed to pass without any investigation, we fear the cow-catcher^ will continue its; work, while the settlers grieve * over .-.their slaughtered kine, for where little responsibility attaches, it is to be expected that'little' care will be taken. Independent of 'the duty of settlers to_ p/ovide safe pasturage for their cattle, and of- ;. railway officials to. exercise every necessary care;' in the transit of trains/ the duty of theiffovernment to fence m the lines is clear and imperativei V The performance; of this diity is i- the only , safe preventive of srich accidents as we have too often had occasion to \ refer to. We trust -'that some decided action in' this direction will be taken by the Government and that without loss of 'time, lest a worse evil than has- yet happened btffal us. ■ •.-.- . " ; -: ; '.'■-■.■,- ■;. ■■".-. •'.'■ '. .'-■ ■■' ': .