BANKS MEAT COMPANY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 932, 27 September 1910, Page 5

BANKS MEAT COMPANY.

' v " j■» ;'; A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. For some weeks; local butchers, ; city abattoir- contractors," and :local bodies interested have been awaiting a pronouncement by tho Minister for Agriculture (the "■ Hon.: T. Mackenzie), as to ". the legality :of granting a'slaughtenng' Hcense.'to the Banks Meat Company. Tne:Minister his. "now istated "that it'has been-decided not ■ ■■ to - grant the vlioease,' which means,- pre-: ■ sumably, that ;th& .M'akaxa County Coun- . cil will be asked .to reverse' its decision,'to • issue a lioenso. This view, at any rate, : -was taken by an otlicial of the BanksCompany, .who was questioned -yesterday - as to his-opinion on the position. , No : offioial-intimation had,,he said, been_re- ' • ceived'that '. fl'e license would be :with- : heid, and'i»ta this arrived.th4-position ::'eoiild UuC uu-aUtea w lin txactitudo. Apparently, Jiowever, the company would be -. compelled shortly to o'.osb . down: unless: it chose' 1 to,make 'slaughtering for export its principal - department;:of activity. .\.\The : Alakarfi County Council, in deciding to !?':' gfimt~ the -license, apparently attached importance and- gave credence to two. leadmg considerations-r{l) 'J-hat -tho com-. pany*s plant and establishment were as .efficiently;maintained" in regard to. sanita- :,. tion and. other necessary qualifications as the abattoir under, rnumoipal. control; and that animals • were slaughtered by tho company under identical r conditions as to .inspection ;- (2) that the 'suspension-; of export business by the oompany was tempor- . ary. - The existing law,-requires, V however,' that a private company > to whioh a license is issued: -shall engage ohiefly . in , slaughtering" for export l :> This-, provision . the Minister has apparently determined ■ to. strictly enforce. :.; '