Prevention Society at Chefoo From Our Own Correspondent.
Chefoo, Feb. 6.
As the result of a most enthusiastic meeting held here yesterday afternoon, Chefoo is to have an organization for the prevention of cruelty tq animals. Great cruelty is perpetrated in Chefoo upon the dumb animals in the care of the Chinese and speaker after speaker testified to the difficulties which would have to be encountered in coping with it.
There was a large attendance of Chinese and foreign residents when Mr. Kailton, in the unavoidable absence of Mr. Sugden through sickness, took the chair. The notes prepared by Mr. Sugden clearly stated that the support of the Chin ese Was essential if the organization was to be successful. Mr. Railton, speaking for himself, pointed out the different types of cruelty and said that he did not consider the Chinese were naturally cruel but that in the large majority of cases it was due to gross ignorance.
Mr. Faers followed with some terse remarks about the difficulties to be confronted and expressed the wish that the matter might be taken up thoroughly by residents of Obe-foo. The President of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce voiced the appreciation of the Chinese at the interest displayed by foreigners and said that the Y.M.C.A. should undertake to educate the people on the subject. Miss Slater told of the notices she had had printed and circulated for placing in kitchens so that cooks wight be notified of the most humane way of killing birds ete., and some of these were handed round to the Chinese. Others also spoke and expressed strong support for the proposed Committee.
As it was getting late the Chair-aman asked that the meeting should adjourn for a week, first stating clearly its opinion as to the need for the formation of a body to take up the whole matter. This was carried unanimously.
Mr. Wu, of the Shantung Lace Company, acted as interpreter, translating the foreign speeches and giving the gist of the Ohinese.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.