The annual general meeting of the Shanghai Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was held in the Board-room of the Municipal Council yesterday afternoon. Mr. Byron Brenan, C.M.G. (British Consul-General), the President of the Society, occupied the chair, and there was a moderate attendance.
The Chairman remarked that the work of the past year differed slightly from that of the proceeding twelve months, in that caves of cruelty had diminished. As members would see from the accounts a certain diminution in their revenues was due to the loss number of fines impose for cruelty, from which they derived part of their income. During the expired year the Society had the services ofa Sikh, who way paid to look for cases of cruelty, but this was found unsatisfactory, and with the consent of the Captain Superintendent of Police it had been decided to spend the same amount in ziv.ng rewards to policemen who detected cruelty on their beats. They were rather sanguine that this me thod would prove more efficacious than the other one. Tt was also proposed that the example set in London of having a " green yard" for the detention and care of animals unfit for work should be followed here. (Applause.) The number of cases brought by the Society to the notice of the police and the Mixed Court was 29, of which 15 were cruel treatment of ponies, and the other 14 cases of cruelty to various animals, In most instances the Society succeeded in obtaining the imposition of fines. Certain changes had taken place in the committee owing to the absence of some of the members, and new members would have to be elected. The receipts of the Society were rather less, only $544 $691, and the fines had decreased.
had spent a good deal more too, in addition to the payment of the Inspector, and they had given Inspector Batty a £10 note as a memento of his services to the Society. They were. however, $969 to the The Report and Statement of accounts were adopted on the proposition of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. E. Nelson.
The Rev. C. E. Darwent proposed the election of the following gentlemen to form the Committee:—Mr. Pelham Warren, new British Consul-General; M. Ratard, French Consul-General; Messrs. C. R. Burkill, P. Bronat, Meyerink, J. S. Fearon, Manners, Inglis, E. Nelson, Captain Boisragon, W: Pratt, Hobson, E. A. Hewett, and F. J. Maitland, Hon. Sec. and Treasurer. In doing so. the speaker referred to the highly satisfactory work of the Society, which, he thought, was not only doing a good' work for animals but also teaching the Chinese the sacredness of animal life. While urging upon everyone.the duty of subscrihin; e the Society, he "would suggest that family and Sunday School subscriptions should be given to help on the work. He thought he could promise subscriptions from his own school. (Applause.)
Dr. Ivy seconded the proposition, which was carried.
The Chairman spoke of the valuable work by Mr. Maitland, to whose quiet, unassuming efforts the success of the Society was due.
(Applause).
Mr. Maitland, having suitably responded, and spoken' of the necessity for continued effort on the part of the Society, Mr. Thorne alluded to the loss the Society, in common with others, would sustain in the departure of the Chairman from their midst. Without Mr. Brenan the Society would never have been attended with such success, and their hearty thanks were due to him. (Applause).
The Chairman briefly replied on this, as he said, his last appearance as President! of that or any other local society.
The meeting then ended.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.