HUMANE SLAUGHTERING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 483, 16 April 1909, Page 3

HUMANE SLAUGHTERING.

', A DISCUSSION AT CHRISTCHURCH. i , Last week a deputation, headed by Mr. , J. H. Parker, waited on tho Christchurch ( City Council'on behalf of the Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Mr. Parker asked that in'future cattle and ' largo.pigs 'slaughtered at the city abattoiri and other places over which tho council ' had authority, should- not he "pithed," as this,method of killing was ciuel and inefficient. Trials at , tho Gear Company's work 3 at Petone had demonstrated the superiority of the 71b. hammer over the pithing spear in point of humanity and expedition, and tho hammer method had been adopted by_ tho Gear Company and .others in tho North' ■ Island. Councillor Coopor said that all pigs. were - at present killed with the hammer at l tho city abattoir. The council had,, however, been told by its officer that "pithing" was 1 the most humano method ,for cattle. Mr. Wenstrup, M.R.O.V.S. (Berlin), said that tho hammer method had been adopted successfully in towns five times the size of Christchurch, ,and .the pithing spear had ' been absolutely abandoned in Europe more than six years ago. Councillor Forrester > said thai; in his opinion there was as much chanoy of bungling with a hammer as with a oithing spear, and as much pain would be occasioned. ' Councillor Parsons spoko in defence of the methods at present used at the city abattoir, -which,- he, said, were as expeditious and humane as'they could passibly be. / Councillor Hall suggested that the Abattoir Committee ehoulu confer with tho Government' Veterinarian on tho matter. The motion was referred'to the Abattoir Committee. . SYDNEY SHOW! > '• t SALES OF, NEW ZEALAND STOCK. At the stock sales in connection with tho Sydney Agricultural Show (says 'a Press Association telegram), consignments oi Lincoln and Leicester sheep on behalf of Mr. Redd, Canterbury, ranged from, ono to three guineas each; and' a Romney ram brought 7J guineas. Mr. 'Dowthwaite's Loicesters sold for 2 to ,8J 'guineas, and Mr. , O'Rourke's for li guineas. A Hereford bullock belonging to Mr. Moore, of Bushby Pork, which took champion for the heaviest beast in the show, brought £28. < A consignment of horses from the Hayward Company, Christchurch, realised satisfactory \ pnees.'' "~ ■ , i < Mr. JlooreV bullock is doubtless the mas- ', nve beast with which ho won some notice at the Mastcrton Show, and which he decided to send to the Sydney Show for-tho good ad- , vertisement'of tEe Hereford breed. FLAX MILLING. A NEW MOVE AND MORE'TROUBLE. , The latest development in the flaxmilling Industry'is ono of considerable interest and i good deal of importance. As it was found , tmpQssible to get a readjustment of the t , iward to put the industry on a payable basis, the millers decided to revert to the, contract system, and our Palmorstoncorrospondsnt is informed that, 'last'week, five of Hessrs. Broad, and 'Reeves's' scutchers were )ffored contracts approximating fifty tons of jry fibre, for scutching and pressing at 225. '. 3d. per ton. As the present award rate for scutching and pressing is 28s. per ton, tho men declined to accept the lower price. They , were then told that their services were no longer required, as 'the firm had nten ready ,to take the contract at tho rate offered, It is understood that, tho men have decided to take further action, as they contend that the proceeding is equivalent to a lockout, and,'of course, r e lockout is as illegal as a strike. ; If the proceeding is held to "be legal, then ! the existing award is useless according to the . men's view of tho matter. On -the other hand, tho millers contend that they secured the beat legal advice obtainable on the matter, ,and their position is unassailable*. Further developments will bo awaited with interest. 1 SOUTHDOWNS FOR SOUTH ' WAIRARAPA. Mr.-W. Howard Booth,'of Carierton, who has achieved distinction as ono of tho best frozen i mutton sheop breeders in New Zealand, intends to,go in very extensively with Southdowns. With this idea he has just imI ported from Mr. P. Brookes, the well-known Canterbury breeder, ono hundred Southdown ewes, bred from "Mr. Richmond Pannett's flock. Several first-class Southdown rams 1 are to be imported from England, and Mr. Booth is of the opinion that in the course of a few'years ho will have one of the finest Southdown flocks in New Zealand. Tho fact that Mr. Booth intends to set up a firstclass Southdown flock in tho Wairarapa will do good news, for the district generally. Wairarapa has always had a good name for its mutton, but in order to keep up the , standard especial study of the scientific principles of breeding is required. In Lincolns m this department, Mr. W. Perry is a notable examplo, while Messrs. Gray Bros., W. a. Allen, and A. MatiJhews aro equally eminent in Romney Marsh., At >the present time Messrs. W. H., H., and R. F. R Beetham are the chief Southdown breeders' in i ( the Wairarapa. INADEQUATE MEAT WRAPPERS. ' '- '• Wo Trfi! EditoU , I Sir,—The writer is more tifta pleased to i see by yours of Wednesday that others are \ agitating for better meat bags, especially for / our lamb trade. It is absolutely distressing when visiting tho provincid towns of Britain to'see well-grown lamb marked up "Prime ' ' Now Zealand," but with the hind shanks in , a djsgusting condition. Time and again the writer has been asked—"Do tho butchers in your country over wash their hands?" and , i jt is difficult to convince-the quostioner.that it'is caused through the shanks protruding 1 through the wrapper and being < used ,as handles by the not too clean British' lumpers. I I havo before advocated what, if practicable, W£Uld be a great improvement—namely, to , place our lamb upon the market in the samo / condition as tho Home-killed article. That js, with tho hoof and woolly shank left on. It increases the weight and pleases tho consumer, becauso the meat is absolutely clean, and he is satisfied it is lamb and not stunted mutton.—l am, ote., S. M. R. HILL. Shannon, April 8.