ABATTOIR NOT CONSIDERED TO BE ECONOMICAL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 50, 12 October 1949, Page 5

ABATTOIR NOT CONSIDERED TO BE ECONOMICAL

The opinion that a municipal abattoir at Whakatane would not be an economical unit because of the high building costs has been expressed by the Department of Agriculture in a report received by the Whakatane Borough Council at the monthly meeting on Monday night. The Department suggested as an alternative that arrangements be made with either an abattoir at Rotorua or Opotiki. This alternative scheme did not find favour with the Council and it was decided to' explore the possibility of still having an abattoir but extending the area to be served to include some of the country districts such as Taneatua, Ohope, Edgecumbe, Te Teko and Matata. Cost Up To £15,000

Assistance in investigating the scheme for the establishment of an abattoir has been given by Mr T. H. Hankin, live stock inspector and superintendent at Auckland. In a report to the Council Mr Hankin said that the Department considered that an abattoir -Would cost in the vicinity of £12,000 to £15,000, plus the cost of a chiller estimated to cost a further £1,500. It is also considered that housing would in all probability have to be provided for the slaughtermen to be employed. Based on an estimated population of 3,500 there is estimated that there would be the following annual killings, namely: Cattle 1,400; sheep 5,000; pigs 500. The charges tq the butchers would be; Cattle 20/- per head; sheep 5/per head and pigs 10/- per head. Including in the report the possible receipts and payments that would be entailed in the abattoir Mr Hankin points out that thysrie would be a loss annually of about £135.

Extended Area? Commenting on the report the town clerk, Mr L. D. Lovelock, said that if the Department’s figures were correct, and if the operating costs based on the annual killings for a popunlation of 3,500 were due to high building costs, uneconomic, then there might be possibilities in a scheme embracing Ohope, Taneatua, Te Teko, Edgecumbe and Matata. The approach to such a scheme would have to he made through the Whakatane County Council. Such a scheme would th,en cater for a greater population and the annual killings be such that both the costs to the butchers and the overall operating costs in running the abattoir, would be economic. The ultimate scheme envisaged beiing one with a coverage over all the country districts. This would ensure that all beasts slaughtered would be subject to inspection. A similar scheme had been suggested some years ago but had not found favour with the County Council, the Mayor, Mr B. S. Barry, remarked. Hdwever, if it could be adopted now it might be the answer to the present difficulties.