Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, AUG. 25, 1900. Inspection of Meat.

Manawatu Herald, 25 August 1900, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, AUG. 25, 1900. Inspection of Meat.

The House is busy with discussing " The Slaughtering and Inspection Bill" which the Government have I introduced to secure wholesome meat, properly dressed, to be supplied to the people. Without desiring in anyway to reflect unfairly upon the country butchers it must be evident to every one who gives the matter the least consideration, that country as well as town slaughterhouses are ttpt kept, in the matter of oleanii- j neii, ai thty should be. One mam*

ber declared " if anybody takes the trouble to go round the country to look at the places where beasts are killed for consumption by the people, he will say they are a disgrace to our civilisation ; they are an abomination. And at nearly every one of these slaughterhouses you will see a herd of swine feeding on the offal, and these same swine are killed and put into the market." We have had a practical experience of the kind of inspection that is made by a locally appointed inspector, and the Minister of Jjands says " The local bodies we know, in many cases are neglectful of sanitary matters, and we find from the reports from various centres at the present time that there have been serious evils existing in connection with some slaughter-yards," so they intend to have abattoirs erected and proper inspectors, and the butchers will be licensed by the Government. It is not pleasant reading to find a Minister of the L.'iVi'ii Ltu.ti_';''' i'..'ui'!. liii ! *>! viz ii't 1- ~\ T T"ur. ! > <l tV.AViro i* «?. ?rrc.t, r.incmi ' 01 diseaseu meat that goes into consumption in New Zealand," and as such a statement has not, and apparently cannot, be challenged, it is satisfactory to know an effort to stop it is being made. Until the Bill has passed through committee it would be idle to discuss any but the bare outlines, but we shall be glad to know in what way it will be possible to provide for the proper slaughter of animals within the area which will supply this Borough without its entailing a too heavy tax on the community or the butchers. The Bill purposes allowing Boroughs to borrow money to establish abattoirs without taking a vote, but still interest will have to be secured by a charge on the butchers. Sti 1 everyone who has to purchase meat will willingly pay a little more to know that it is good meat and properly killed and cooled. One member, speaking against the Bill, blessed where he meant to curse, as he quoted from a letter said to have been before the Stock Committee in which a large firm made enquiries as to what they were to do under certain circumstances, remarking that they received hundreds cf so-called dry ewes, in which a stray ram has been running, and stating " for preserving purposes they are perfectly good." Sometimes, perhaps, they are not preserved, what then ? The firm again state "we kill thousands of "crocks" for preserving purposes, which probably, in the opinion of an Inspector, would * not be fit for human food,' neither would they, look very inviting hanging up in a shop." We fail to see why meat preserved should be of a class an Inspector might think " not fit for human food " and if this is the class of objectors to the Bill, the great majority will favour this Bill being passed as soon as possible.