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Wanganui; and it is not right, when carts are travelling amongst the public there, and they can get whatever they like—it is not fair for the farmers to be killing and selling meat. It is not fair to trade. Of course, lam not speaking of places where they are so far away that they have no chance of getting this meat there fresh. 77. You do not mean from a public point of view, that it might be detrimental to the health of the people on account of the meat not being inspected, but simply from a trade point of view?— That is another objection. Ido not think people should be allowed the chance of getting these diseases; I think they should be protected, even if they are living some distance away in the country. 78. Mr. Massey.] Did you read clause 24, page 7 ? I ask the question because one of the previous witnesses suggested that the words "for export only" should be put in after the word " slaughterhouses " ?—Yes ; we have no objection to that. 79. Would you recommend the insertion of those words ?—Yes ; we agree with that. 80. You recommend compensation for stock: do you mean for stock not killed in your slaughterhouses, or stock condemned ?—More particularly for stock condemned. 81. Have you any insurance charge in Wanganui on any stock? —No ; farmers will not agree to such a charge. 82. As regards freezing companies : You agree that the freezing companies, if inspected in the same way as yourselves, might enter into fair competition ? —Yes. 83. As to farmers killing meat like yourself, and selling it, is that detrimental to you? —Yes, I have experienced that. 84. What do you suggest to get rid of that difficulty ? — That they should not be allowed to sell. 85. Not to any extent ? —No. Well, not altogether. I would say, not within ten or twelve miles of a licensed abattoir. 86. Within ten or twelve miles of any borough ?—Yes, I would say, about that. 87. Have you heard of butchers killing in the yards near their shops? Do you think it would be a wise thing?—No, I do not think so myself. 88. Such a thing as that has never been done in Wanganui ? —Not that I know of. 89. Suppose you were living just outside a ten-mile radius. If you could get meat from a farmer, would you buy it coming it out of a butcher's cart which had come a distance of ten miles? —Well, it depends on circumstances. If it came out of the butcher's cart properly dressed and in good condition, I would, probably. 90. Well, of course, you must know that some little distance from Wanganui it was—if it is not now—absolutely impossible for people to get their meat unless it was packed?— That would be within ten or twenty miles. 91. That may be your experience in your time; I have known it in my time. Who pays the Inspector at Wanganui at the present day ? —The Borough Council pays him part, the freezing company pays part; but he is responsible to the Borough Council and he is responsible to the Government. 92. You now have to kill at Castlecliff. Do you think that to be in the interest of the butcher or the consumer? —Well, in the interest of the consumer, but not the butcher. 93. Certainly, you would say it was not in the interest of the grower ?—No; I would not say that. 94. Mr. Buchanan.] Is the Inspector at Castlecliff a veterinary surgeon?—-Yes; fully qualified. 95. Did you say he was responsible to the borough ?—Yes. 96. In what sense ?—That he has been appointed to the Borough Council under the seal of the Governor. The Borough Council applied to His Excellency to appoint him under the Act. 97. What distance is Castlecliff from Wanganui ?—About five miles. 98. Do the butchers find it inconvenient ?—lt is expensive ; we have to go by rail. 99. Do the butchers find any objection to killing their meat there on the ground that it is a freezing company that works it ?—Well, we do object. We would strongly object to having our meat killed by a freezing company if we could alter it ; but the arrangement has been made with the Borough Council, and we have no objection at all. But in framing a new Bill that is another matter. We say it is not our wish to go to any freezing company to get our work done, because we are at a disadvantage. 100. Are you allowed to kill your own stock?—No; they do it, and charge a fee. 101. Whose property does the offal become ? —Most of it goes to the freezing company. 102. Are you free or not to give it away ?—No. We get a small portion of it. 103. Supposing a definite pen was allotted to yourself and to each of the other butchers, each pen for a particular butcher, and liberty given each butcher to kill his own stock; that each particular butcher could do anything he chose with the offal; and the situation of the abattoir was convenient—closer to Wanganui, we will suppose—would there be any objection then?— Well, with all those concessions, I do not think we would object, but I do not see how it is workable. We could not get the whole of our offal: a certain amout of it—blood and other portions, for instance-—could not be taken away. 104. We have had it in evidence that some private butchers take their blood away to a considerable distance from their slaughtering-place and make use of it and of the other offal to advantage. It was stated in evidence that this had been the practice for years by these particular butchers. What would you think of that ?—I cannot speak from experience on that point, but I should not say it was very workable myself; it would not be convenient. 105. Mr. Symes.] Were all the butchers in Wanganui unanimous or agreeable that the abattoir should be at Castlecliff ?—Not all. 106. As a matter of fact, one stuck out?— Yes, there was one exception.