BOILING DOWN WORKS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 84, 25 June 1943, Page 5

BOILING DOWN WORKS

MONTHLY INSPECTION

INSTITUTED

COUNTY COUNCIL'S DECISION

While obviously not desiring to be unduly severe on an industry which was of growing importance to the farming community on the Plains, the County Council last Tuesday decided in view of the increasing number of complaints regarding the Awakeri boiling down works to institute a monthly inspection by the district health inspector in an effort to overcome the present unsatisfactory s>tate of affairs. The chairman, Mr J. L. Burnett, said that complaints of cruelty to the. stock sent to the works were: growing and the council would, simply have to take action to put a .stop to them. Are Farmers to Blame ? Cr Les Lux ton declared that in a good many cases the farmers themselves were to blame for allowing their stock to get into such a shocking state before getting in touch with the inspector. Many of the animals were on their last legs before they were sent to the works. The chairman: Then it is the stock inspector's duty to condemn the animal then and there to prevent it being taken away. Cr McCraqkcn said, that it was not fair to blame the farmers all the* way. The."* works' were: in' a deplorable condition and while it .served a very useful doubt it should be kep& ; up . to . stani^rd. He suggested a, monthly inspection. .*» iDiseased Stock Cr Mctiougan agreed that there might': be something in Cr Luxton's Many-of the beasts were Vn the; last stages of T.B. and were ■then sent, to the works which were understaffed and could not therefore cope with them. Cr Gawte also adinittetKtha^ farmers were the direct cause of the trouble l'6r' allowing - stock W deteriorate so badly. v V. Other Side of Story

"That is not" altogether the real trouble/' declared Cr MoCracken. "I have proof of what occurs in this district." He then related his own experience when after first notifying the inspector it aa.is. six weeks before,, lie finally visited the farm and just 011 three months before, the operator arrived to remove the animal.>l 11 the meantime he had had to destroy the animal himself. Cr Lux ton said he had not Avant<ul to infer that ail farmers were to .bJame.^He, yyalised that .i\fr Jvla.us simply coiild cope with the work. Mai-cover the inspector could not . badly diseased animals because! he\ had lib ammunition and the. only thing left, for the farmer to do'Avas to'pole axe it himself. ' " Cr Hunter mentioned that preAiously condemned stock had been .. . v* sent through to Taurariga by tail. Could not that be done agjiin.v/ ' The council decided 4.0 instruct the inspector to make a report and then consider the position thoroughly.