ABATTOIRS,

Horowhenua Chronicle, 30 July 1913, Page 2

ABATTOIRS,

- ■ f Wanted .in Levin. ■JJOUOrUH AND COCNTV - COT ON. A propositi to establish abattoirs in Levin was debated at a meeting held in Levin last night, under auspices' of the llorowhVnua A. and P. Association. Mr J. Howell said he was surprised to find that a town the size oil Levin was without abattoirs. It would not cost the ratepayers ol: the borough one penny: they would be self-sup-porting from the start, and a source of revenue to the borough. At present, he remarked, tlierc "was not sufficient supervision over the preparation of meat for the town and district. To take another aspect, he said it would result in cattle being slaughtered here instead of being sent down to Wellington lo be slaughtered. Mr T. L. 'Walker said there was no doubt about it that they would be ;i good source of revenue to Levin, but something (leiinite as to cost should be put before the meeting: until that was brought forward it could not be decided upon by tin; nieetiiiiv. Mr NVill asked if it uas true, n> <aid by Mr Howell, that meal killed in the vicinity of Levin was not inspected. Mr •!. Pro use answered that he could not answer as to degree, but he could say thai inspection was carried on lo some cNlenl ;il least. I'urther, it would iiot pay a butcher to sell diseased meat : by the lime the skin and offal was realised upon, and Government compensation received, the loss to the butcher would be very small. On ih' , broad proposal, Mr Prouse said that before abattoirs were sei up in Levin there should lv a clear undertaking , with the Wellington butchers that they would support the abattoirs. J.t. seemed lo him that these things should grow' naturally : to force ih; , m was to court failure. The slaughtering community in Wellington should be approached on the matter. And it should be borne in mind I hat insulated vanswouhl have to be provided. Mr T. A. Harris asked whellier the Wellington authorities would, allow the abattoirs in Levin to compete against tlioWellinglon municipal abattoirs. The chairman of the meeting , said that a good deal of the killing for the Wellington retail market was done outside of I he municipal abattoirs. Mr Roe continued tfns, and said that all the municipal authorities require was that (lie slaughterhouses should be properly inspected and the proper dues paid to the City Council. On the general question, Mr Hoe said it would be compulsory on Levin to erect abattoirs as soon as her populali:m reached The question was whether it would pay to go in for them now. Kslimales prepared some three years ago showed lhal abattoirs should be profitable inniediatelv thev were established.

.Mr Wallace said Ilial one advantage of local abattoirs would be tin. , extra safeguard they would constitute against the placing of diseased meat on tlie market. At ])resent it was necessary to bring an inspector from Palmersiou .North to inspect cattle of doubtful nature. As to a suggestion by Mr Prouse that a salary of t' 1.00 or a year be paid to a local inspector, Mr Wallace would like to know who was going to pay him. .Mi' I , rouse; "The people; they always have to pay in the end !" Mr -I. ('. Xeill said not only the borough was interested in this matter: to him it seemed lhat tin , settlers ol' the surrounding district would lie greatly helped if abattoirs were set up in Levin. If the fanners of the district could get their pigs killed here they would (dear a good deal of the cost in the profits from the waste, products. \\ present the farmers could send up to five pigs per week !•■• Wellington, but in a short while it would be found that this right would be taken away; that was the whole, trend of public opinion. He was suit. i< would b< , in the best interests of local fa fillers, to have abattoirs established in Levin. Mr Xeill's remarks as to settlers" interests were favourably commented upon by other speakers, but regret was expressed that a definite scheme was not placed before the meet-

Finally Mr Ho well moved and -Mr Walker seconded a motion: "That ii l)e a recommendation to the Levin Borough Council, from this yiecting, . Iluil the council erect municipal abattoirs in the borough." On the surest ion ol' Mi , Xeill, an addition was made io -fhe* motion, (hat the Wirokino riding of the Horowhenua County Council be asked to cooperate iu ihe mailer. "Willi this addition the motion was carried, there being (wo dissentient votes.