THE MEAT PROBLEM.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 136, 9 June 1906, Page 5

THE MEAT PROBLEM.

THE MINISTER'S THREAT. COMPULSORY ABATTOIRS FOR WELLINGTON. Yesterday the Hon. T. Y. Duncan, Minister for Lands, stated that a BUI was in preparation providing for the compulsory inspection of pigs for slaughtering, and he would "introduce a clause compelling Wellington to erect abattoirs." - This morning, when the Mayor (the Hon. T. W. Hislop) was asked for an opinion about the message, he said that Mr.' Duncan's threat was no new tiling. 'Ihe council had been threatened last eesMon that a clause would be put in a Bill compelling it to erect abattoirs. "What was the attitude of the council at that time?" the interviewer asked. VA committee was considering the question," the Mayor replied, "and was trying to agree whether it would' be advantageous to have an abattoir, and, «econdly, where it could be built in case a benefit could be proved. We had a discussion among some of us this yedr as to whether the proposal should be revived, but nothing was done. Everybody seemed to be quite satisfied with the present conditions, and we were not anxious to rueh into a matter involving further expense. If Parliament passes a law, we will have to do something ; of course we will have *o obey, but I think fhat the opinion of a committee of the council is just as valuable as the suggestions of Mr. Moore or anybody else." As far as can be gathered, the members ■of the council are not opposed to the establishment of a- municipal abattoir. The Abattoir Committee appointed last Jrear finally recommended that step* fthould be taken to erect a municipal abattoir. In case this proposal was approved' by the council, the -committee asked that instructions should be given to further the object mentioned, and, in the event of the council not proceeding to erect abattoirs, the committee •hould be discharged. , Eventually Councillor Murdoch asked for permission to Withdraw the report, and the request was granted. "The report, like Mahomet's coffin, is in mid air," remarked tho Town Clerk (Mr. Palmer> to-day. He mentioned that tnt of the principal factors causing the council to hesitate was that the members were impressed with statements that the cost of meat, which was said to be already .sufficiently dear, would be increased by tho establishment of a municipal abattoir. However, according to other opinions that have been expressed in the Post, there appears to be a division of sentiment on this point. It is probable that the whole question will be threshed out again •oon.