Abattoir Matters.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7818, 10 May 1905, Page 2

Abattoir Matters.

oAt Monday night's meeting of the Borough Council the Master, Butchers' Association forwai<dcd the following resolutions passed at their meeting on May 2:— 1. That the Council he asked to place (he Management of tho nbul'■oirs in the hands of the Master :iu tellers.

2. That the charge for largo cattle it ."result condemned is exorbitant and that the following prices be charged, large cattle is lid, sheep and lambs 3d and pigs Sd '•■ 'lhat ihe Council's attention be drawn to the unsatisfactory stale of the fences.

4. That, tlie Council be asked to immediately call for tenders for the . rcction of a house for the head slaughterman. The Abattoir Coimmiicv recommended that consideration of the iianagtu.-ent question be deferred,am. that in tie meantime the butcher;place complete details of their scheme nefore the commit lee This was ngrec.l to. I The Mayor remarked that personal [ly so long as the requirements of the law regarding slaughtering and inspection were strictly carried out, and that the Council received certain fees, he saw no objection to having the whole of the work done through the Master Hatchers' Association. He thought that, they should when they had the whole of the details before them, call a special meeting of the Council ,in committee and invite the butchers to attend to discuss the whole abattoir question. The committee's '.'recommendation was adopted. On the other matters mentioned the following recommendations of the committee were adopted :—(a) That the master butchers be informed that the Council cannot recommend any alteration in the killing charges, (b) That tho committee visit the abattoir site and inspect the condition of the fences and (c) that tenders be called for the ereolioii of a cottage for the head slaughterman as soon as the balance of tho Government loan is available. Messrs Sole Bros sent in an account for £7 5s for a fat bullock, delivered at the abattoir paddock on April 18, and not accounted for. The report of the abattoir manager showed that on the night of April 18 eight bullocks were delivered by Mr William Sole, and next morning the head slaughterman discovered that the eight beasts had got out during tho night by jumping over the boundary fence between the abattoir property and . that .adjoining. The head slaughterman had succeeded in yarding' seven of them, but was unable to lind' the remaining bullock. The bullock lost was a roan steer, but so far as the manager was; aware was not branded.

After healing the manager's report consideration was deferred until tbe committee visit (ho abattoir. It was deckled to instruct the man-

tger to strictly enforce the by-law elating to the distinctive branding of stock,.

Mr R. W. Dixon sent m an account for £1 10s, being value of one forequarter of beef received from the abattoir on May 1, in au unsaleable condition owing to being bruised, This was caused, the writer stated, through the animal being yarded in [the same pen as other cattle overThe agony of the beast must

hare been intense, and the circuni--tances called for the serious attention of the Council, in order to sec that (he cattle were so placed that the cattle could not injure one another.

The. committee's recommendation "that Mr Dixon be informed that the Council regret that tne meat should have been damaged, but after full inquiry (ind that there was no negligence on the part of the Abattoir

employees, that Mr Dixon's cattle were kept separate from any others it the Abattoir, and that under tho

circumstances the Council cannot acept any Liability, was adopted. A further letter was received from

the master butchers calling attenion to tho fact that pork cuttings, >igs' heads, etc., were being retall■d within the abattoir district,which had not been slaughtered at the Ablttoir. We was contrary to the Slaughterhouse Inspection Act, The manager, to whom this was referred, wrote that he was not aware of any irregularities under the Act. A 'motion by Cr. Collis to rescind tho resolution granting the Tarnnnki Co-operative Itacon Co. power to sell pork within the municipality on payment of a' license fee of £lO and sub•ect to certain conditions, gave rise to considerable discussion.

Tne mover said that the Council hud no power to grant a license for a lump sum, but only on a baa's of so much per head of pigs killed. The arrangement was inequitable as the butchers had to have their meat slaughtered at the Abattoir. He simply moved, not out of animosity to the Company, but in order that a legal agreement be mode. The Mayor quoted figures to show that the Company would save £2OO per annum by slaughtering nt the Abattoirs, but it was questioned by some of the councillors whether this would be a convenient arrangement for tho Company. Jt was agreed that the Abattoir committee discuss the matter with tho directors of the Company, and report to the next Council mooting It was resolved that the committee be authorised to fence in a " starv[ing" paddock near tho crusher site; that consideration of Mr Stone's application for an increase in salary be deferred until the master butchers submit details for their schemo for the management of the Abattoir ; and that by-law 11 be amended to throw the responsibility for the safety and proper sustenance of all cattl* brought to the Abattoir upon the butcher owning such cattle.