THE COUNTY ABATTOIR.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5400, 15 March 1929, Page 2

THE COUNTY ABATTOIR.

HEALTH INSPECTOR’S REPORT.

“CRITICISM NOT JUSTIFIED.”

With reference to recent criticism in this paper of conditions prevailing at the Ohinemuri County Abattoir, the following! report by Mr Gi C. White, Health Inspector, has bepn forwarded' to the County Council by Dr. Chesson, Medical Officer of Health for the Auckland district-

“Further to nay memorandum of January 26 last, I have to advise that, I visited the above abattoir 'on February 7 and watched operations throughout most of the killing, and have to report as follows:

“On my arrival thiiqe carcases of beef, had been killed ; two hal been dressed and the third about to be started upon. This carcase .was cleanly handled in every way, and very little blood was lying on the flood. A hose was running the whole; time, washing away most of the blood and other liquids that would run on the floor.

“There is no defined channel in this room, the floor being graded to one of the walls, andi thence through a hole in the wall to a guhy trap outside the building.

“Following the bqcf, two pigs were i .lied. These wore killed outside the beef room on a covered yard. The pigs w ere then t&keu across a concrete yard to the boiler house, they were scalded. The whole operation was done expeditiously and cleanly. The pigs were then taken ba.ck to the covere;d yard, washed, and dressed, and then hung in tile meat room.

“The mutton then followed. Thes©, after they were knifed, were; laid upon wooden skids which had been placed on the floor in the covered yard, to bleed. They were then hoisted and skinned and dressed; in the usual way.

“The drainage from this covered yard, and also from the open portion, runs to a yard trap in the centre. The yard has a f.air grade, and water is continuously in use.

“Th© offal was placed' in three separate; lots in the open yard, (I was informed that three different people handle this.) This offal is generally removed every day, although I believe one man leaves :his for the; following clay. “The whole of the drainage is piped to the Ohinemuri River. The Itolding pens are cobbledston-ed and portion of th-o;m covered. The inside of title works is kept in a very clean state. Some of the weatherboards and other timber are showing signs of decay, but this is no detriment to- the conduct of the place“This place, in common with thq others in the district, has what in my opinion is a serious, fault; that being, the carcases, when hung to cool and set, a.re ndt placed in a fly-proof, room. “I could not see any justification for the article that was published in the ‘Hauraki Plains Gazette.’ From our department’s point of view, if the meat was hung in a fly-proof room and the offal was remcived daily, the pla.ee would meet with our requirements.”

“I have visited these premises twice sine© being in the district, once when killing was in operation, and on another occasion when all work was finished for the day, and on e;ach occasion found everything satisfactory, in comparison with other abattoirs in the district.”