PIG=SLAUGHTER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 284, 25 August 1908, Page 6

PIG=SLAUGHTER.

AN INSPECTION SYSTEM WANTED. IN THE INTEREST OF HEALTH. Somo - aspects of tho slaughtering of pigs for human consumption were brought under tho notice of the .Minister for Agriculturo (tho Hon. R. M'Nab) yesterday by a deputation, consisting of Messrs. W. Murray (general manager of the Chrisjchurch Meat Company), W; and V. Dimock (of Dimock and Company), and John Green (of T. H. Green and Company, Christchurch). They, were introduced by Mr. Witty, M.P., who said that greater facilities wero desired for the inspection of pigs killed for. human consumption outside of .slaughter-houses.

Mr. Murray said the present system of inspection was vory. effectivo so far as cattle and'sheep were concerned, .sinco the slaughtering was done under tho eyes of a Government officer. But in the case of swine, inspection was almost neglected. It would give some idea of the importance of the industry if he said . that his own Company, Messrs. Dimock and Co., and Messrs. Green and Co., dealt with approximately 75,000 pigs per anThose were all killed under close supervision, arid it would be safe to say that another 25,000 were killed at abattoirs under inspection, making 100,000 pigs slaughtered uneler proper inspection. Of this number the somewhat alarming percentage of 8.87 were last year found to be affected. He understood that tho officers of the' Department found that 7.53 of tho pigs in the country were affected with tuberculosis. By rightly killing under strict supervision the companies calculated they lost £1000 a year. Was it fair then that others engaged in tho bacon industry should be allowed to carry on without any inspection whatever. The question of pubho ■ health was also involved. It was suggested that the law be altered to,, make it; an offence to . expose for sale,' either at homo' or abroad, bacon that had not been' killsd under Government supervision, If something was not done tho companies, in sclf-defenco, might have to forego tho" voluntary system of inspection. Now South Wales prohibited tho importation of New"Zeailand-bacon that did not bear a certificate. Mr. Murray urged that amending legislation be at once introduced.

Mr. W. Dimock (of Dimock and Co., Ltd.) endorsed the last speaker's remarks, and stated that his own firm, during the first six months of the present year, had had 498 pigs totally condemned, out of 19,919 that thoy had killed. Tho condemned pigs cost £1249 35., and of this amount otily £828 would bo received from the Government as a drawback. Therb was thus a loss from this cause of £1021 in the six months. .During the current half-year, the loss would not be quite so heavy. Bacon which was. not inspected camo into: competition with that which was. 'Moreover, his firm's 'buyers were cautious, and it was pretty certain that where there was no inspection, the percentage of diseased pigs would bo greater. The Minister's Reply. ' The _ Minister < gave a sympathetio reply. He. $aid tho Government had already made careful inquiries into tho whole subject, and the conclusions come to did not greatly differ from the views of tho deputation. Tho matter was dealt' with in tho Agricultural Department's; ropqrt last year, and it was demonstrated that the percentage of disease amongst pigs was (greatest in districts whore dairying was carried on, and whero pigs were fed on the byproducts of factories. Ho had figures to show that the percentage of disease varied from 13 por cent, in dairying districts down to 1 per cent, elsewhere. It was partly on _this account that the Government had decided to make a thorough inspection of all dairies throughout tho Dominion. ■ The .use of whey and tho control of its uso could afterwards bo cono-into. He found that out of 10,495 pigs killed-at inspected works at Wellington for three months of this year; 192 had been totally and 1278-partially condemned, making the percentage • affected 13.96. A Bill would bo introduced this session and referred ,to the Stock Committee. He could not say whether the Bill would bo passed this session, as members .seemed i anxious to get away as soon as possible. The 'Bill would provide for obligatory inspection of all pigs killed at slaughtering establishments. . There was still left tho difficult question of tho slaughtering of pigs by the farmers. Ho was not in a position to say how far legislation should go at present in tho direction of prohibiting this practice. He thought that eventually it would have to be prohibited altogether. Tho farmer must be prepared to put up with considerable control in this matter. He could not say whether there would be a half-way house, but at any rate there must bo inspection of all pigs killed at a slaughterhouse. Ho could assure tho deputation that the Government'would do its best to improvo tho existing conditions. .