MUNICIPAL ABATTOIRS. WELLINGTON AND AUCKLAND INACTIVE.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 80, 1 October 1904, Page 9

MUNICIPAL ABATTOIRS. WELLINGTON AND AUCKLAND INACTIVE.

SOME IMPRESSIVE FACTS. In the course of his report to the Minis* ter for Agriculture, the Chief Veterinarian, dealing with the question of abattoirs, remarks that unfortunately, so v far as the citias of Auckland and Wellington, are concerned, the statement made in his last report that these two cities, the most important in the North Island, have shown the greatest indifference to undertaking such necessary public works, still applies. He quotes further from, his lasfc year's report to show the danger of drawing any portion of our meat supply, from private slaughter houses, and adds that the risk is undoubted,' for in connection with the condemnation of diseased stock aome impressive facts are noted: It ia somewhat peculiar to note that, although from, the export works, where the stock is inspected or slaughtered, a considerable number of compensation claims are received with the utmost regularity for stock condemned on account of disease after slaughter, yet from the private slaughterhouses in the district nofc a single claim has been received. Some impressive facts may, he says, also be adduced from an examination rof the figures showing the .nuinljer of stock killed during the year at the abattoirs and meat export slaughterhouses under inspection, aud at private slaugnterhouses without inspection, and the number condemned. These are as follows :— Number of cattle killed : Under .inspection 92,968, without inspection 48,871 ; number of cattle wholly condemned: under inspection 1017, without inspection 68. Number of pigs killed: Under inspection 34,017, without inspection' 31,819; nuhiber of pigs condemned: Under inspection 2?6, without inspection 11. These facts, he submits, give additional proof, if such were needed, that it is high time the meat supply of Auckland and Wellington should be drawn from bources beyond suspicion.

Professor yon Wagner, of Vienna, who has been experimenting in the treatment of idiots with thyroid gland, has reported to the Austrian Home Office that in time cretinism will belong to the category of curable diseases. He has treated fiftytwo idiots ranging in age from two to twenty-three years during periods varying between twelve and thirty-five months, and writes that already, after three months' treatment," a growth in height was observable, accompanied by an improvement in the quality of the blood and an increase of strength, while the patients became thinner. This was the case even with those who had passed the age of growth, Children very soon became lively, showed much more' interest in the outside world, began to chatter and even sing, and some were fit to attend school. Almost without exception the faculty of speech made rapid pro* gresa.. . .■ i _