CITY'S MEAT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19032, 21 June 1927, Page 10

CITY'S MEAT.

CONDITIONS AT ABATTOIR. COUNCIL DISCUSSION. "It has been reported to the Committee that a number of master butchers trading in the City afe having their stock slaughtered at the various meat export companies' works. Tho Council is entitled to collect fees on all stock so slaughtered and sold or exposed for sale for consumption in the City Abattoir district, but tho committee is of the opinion that all stock for consumption within tho district, should bo killed at the Municipal abattoirs." This was a clause in the report of the Abattoir, Reserves, and Milk Committee presonted to last night's meeting of tho City Council. The Committee recommended that an amendment to "The Slaughtering and Inspection Act" be sought to this effect. It would be remembered, tho report, that tlio Minister for Agriculture recently stated that tho Act would be amended during the coming session, enabling tho Council to raiso money for additions or improvements to the Abattoirs without the necessity of obtaining tho authority of the ratepayers at a Loan Poll, and it was considered that the amendment which tho committee now recommended could bo introduced at the same time. Cr. M. E. Lyons said that one of tho freezing companies was slaughtering for some of the City butchers, and very rightly, the Council wanted. its fees. He suggested that instead of securing an amendment to the Act an effort should be made to collect the fees by the committee from the company concerned. Out-of-Date Abattoir. * Cr G. R. Hunter said that he found that there were, outside people slaughtering whereas he had understood that all stock slaughtered had to come from the one source. Tho present abattoirs were considered to be out of date, aiid he had been told that soma ,of the stock slaughtered w&s in an "advanced state." He thought that all by-pro-ducts should be dealt with at the abatt< ' .3 instead of sending them elsewhere. ] was his intention to do all he could 1.; bring the abattoirs into lino with those of other centres. Cr. E. McCombs said that she had been impressed with tho Adelaide abattoirs, where not a- single offensive sight had met her eyes during an inspection. She had been told that the handling of by-products was a profitable proposition. Cr. D. G. Sullivan said .that he ; pad heard some very strong criticism levelled at the abattoirs, not only as regards its out-of-date state,_ but also in regard to its administration. He thought that an attempt should be made to get Mr H'. S. S; "Kyle, M'.P., who was at one time manager of the abattoirs, to present a report on the abattoirs. If that gentleman could not- do so, then another unbiased report should be obtained. Fees Unpaid. "There are some butchers who are beating the by-laws." said the Mayor, "and it is these whom wei should get after." , . . . . , Cr E. H. Andrews said that for tho last sis years protests had been madfe in the Council concerning the state of the abattoirs, but unfortunately the ratepayers had refused to sanction a loan. It was strange, however, that some of the master butchers themselves opEosed the proposal. .At the. same .time e would point out that some definite improvements had been made to tho abattoirs. He did not think that one person in 1000 had any idea of how food was handled in the abattoirs. Despite what had been said to the contrary, he did not think it true that the inspection in freezing works with regard to the quality of the meat was any laxer than at the abattoirs as he understood that the inspectors were interchanged. With regard to offal ithad to be. remembered ?that this be-, longed to the butchers, who could please themselves as to what they did with it. At present stock was slaughtered in disgusting conditions with offal lying about the floor. He hoped that tho amendment woidd be carried as he was certain that a good deal of stock which found its way to the City had no fees paid in respect of it. "The abattoirs are not only filthy, they are a. disgrace to the City/' Said Cr. C. Carr. It seemed to him that the_ Council should be given permission to improve the abattoirs without a poll being taken on the question. The freezing companies had much better facilities for dealing with stock than tho abattoirs, were a legacy from the old Council. Cr. Andrews: And yon are 'one ofthem. The report was adopted.