THE ABATTOIRS QUESTION.

Evening Star, Issue 10747, 6 October 1898, Page 2

THE ABATTOIRS QUESTION.

SMALL BUTCHERS' GRIEVANCES VENTILATED.

THE HUCKSTER SYSTEM DE-

NOUNCED.

(From Odr Parliamektaby Repobthl]

WELLINGTON, Octobbb 6. The Joint Agricultural, Pastoral, and Stock Committee reported to the House yesterday on the petition of James Forrester and fifty-three others, who objected to certain clauses in the Slaughtering and Inspection Bill, that," as the subject matter of the petition is being dealt with by the Legislature, the Committee have no recommendation to make."

Mr Taylor inquired whether it was the intention of the Government to proceed with the Bill?

The Minister of Agriculture replied in the affirmative, remarking, however, that the progress of the Bill had been blocked by the small butchers insisting upon giving evidence before the Committee.

Mr Smith asked the Minister whether, in the event of his being engaged in any duty of the kind, he would not attempt to proteot himself from his rights being interfered with?

The Hon. J. M'Kenzie: They want to sell rotten meat.

MrFLATMAN contended that if there had been any blocking it was on the part of the Auckland butchers.

Mr Smith argued that the same facilities should be given to the small bntohers as to the meat companies. The meat purveyed by both should be subjected to proper inspection. He strongly objected to the Minister's remark about the small butchers wanting to retail unwholesome meat. Mr Massey, referring to the remark of the member for Geraldine, denied that the .

Bill had been delayed by the representatives of the Auckland butchers. There were only two Auckland members on the Stock Committee, and the evidenoe on behalf of the small butchers occupied only two hours. This Bill very seriously affected the Auckland butchers, and it was better that the measure Bhould be postponed for a week or so rather than an injustice should be done to any section of the community. Mr Pißi.Ni expressed surprise at the Hon* Mr M'Kenzie attacking the smaller butchers merely because he was himself largely interested in certain meat industries in the North Island. Mr Crowther said that in Auckland there were two of the best slaughter-houses in New Zealand. If, the butchers of Auckland came here and occupied the attention of the Ccmnittse for two hoars, who would challenge taeir right to do so t Were they to be smothered by the large companies ? Were these enterprising men to be knocked to pieces by the companies and the capitalists 1 He was there to protect them. Mr Bollard was sorry to hear the Minis ter of Lands condemning the small butchers and accusing them of a desire to sell rotten meat. He believed that the small butchers in Auckland were more careful in providing meat of good quality than the large firms. He knew one butcher in Ooehunga who had spent £5,000 in erecting a slaughter-house. Were such as he to be killed by the large companies ? All the smaller butchers were in favor of inspection, but the private slaughter-houses Bhould not be shut up without compensation. He hoped that the Bill would receive due consideration from the; House.

Mr M'Lean deprecated the charger againßt the Minister of Lands of being actuated by motives of self-interest. He thought it would be better to discuss the question in the interest of the general community and the welfare of those engaged in the industry. Naturally there was a great amount of jealousy against the large firms. When it was proposed that Nelson Bros., should have the killing of the stock in the Napier district the proposal was objected to by all the butchers, though Nelson Bros, possessed the beßt facilities, and the bargain* would have been in the interest of the pnblic He had no doubt, however, that a great' deal of diseased meat was sold, and more efficient inspection was required. The Premier objected to second reading: speeches being made on the Bill at that juncture. In the interests of the measure itself it was to be regretted that misconstruction should have been put upon what was said by the Minister of Lands, and that' an attempt should be made to make political capital out of ihe matter. The Minister had. referred only to the small huckstering; butchers, who carried around rotten meat amongst the poorer classes. This class of huxtering butchers were the greatest enemies of the bona fide tradesmen.

Mr Crowtheb : Where do they exist ? The Pkemiee : They are under your noses everywhere. He did not refer to the butchera who got their supplies from the freezing works. If appealed to, these small butchers would say that a great deal of the blame put on them was caused by the hucksters. His colleague would never be a< party to crushing private enterprise. The Government would, regardless of consequences, adhere to the course they had laid down—viz., that diseased meat shall not be' sold to the people. It was, therefore, the' duty of members on both Bides of the Hour to pass a measure that would prevent its sale. When they considered what had been done by the Stock Department they must be ■track by .the fact that there was a great deal of force in what the Minister of Land* had said—that in the past meat had been* sold which should never have been offered for consumption. It was a pity that this; discussion should have been raised at this stage of the Bill. He would like to see all 1 the local bodies erect abattoirs under the' powers they already have, Mr Field said that, as a suburban member, some fifteen or twenty of the small butchers had waited upon him in reference to this Bill, and their unanimous opinion was in favor of public abattoirs at which they ceuld have their meat killed.

Mr Hebries denied emphatically the* statement that the small butchers sold rotten meat, and announced his intention of voting against any attempt in the Bill to setup a monopoly for the large dealers. Mr M'Gowan said that the Minister of Agriculture was right in saying that Ike Bmall butchers were delaying this Bill, although the Minister had, perhaps, put it rather strongly. He suggested proper in--spection as the best means of preventing the sale of diseased meat.

Mr Duncan said that the Auckland small butchers bad delayed the Bill, owing to the time spent in bringing them here. Mr Lang pointed out that all the butcher* who had given evidence before the Committee had favored proper inspection. Their complaint was that they had spent large Eums in erecting slaughter-houses, etc., aad these were to be rendered valueless, and that the losers were to receive no compensation.

The Hon. Mr Ward claimed that the small butchers had an equal right to consideration with the larger ones, but it was in the interest of the colony as a whole that only good, clean, wholesome meat should be sold ; therefore, inspection was absolutely necessary.

Mr Wilson said that the feeling against the Bill amongst the email settlers in bis district was of a very intense natnre, and he hoped that steps would be taken to alter some of the objectionable clauses. The great troubla in Wellington was that the small batchers feared that they would be driven to have their meat killed at one or other of two large meat companies' freezing works, and this simply because the msnicipal authorities neglected their duty and) refused to erect abattoirs.

Mr Cabsox pointed out that it wa* not a matter affecting merely butchers, large or small, but the whole of the peeple of the colony. It must be borne in mind also that in some of the smaller towns the local bodies could not afford to erect public abattoirs. Therewould be great difficulties in framing a Bill to meet all cases.

Mr Hogg, while recognising that the meat sold in Mew Zealand would compare favorably with that of any other part of the world, could not ignore the faot that there was a certain amount of diseased meat sold. His syinpMhy had always been with the small butchers. But for them the price of meat woahi be as high as in the Old Country. What was needed was not so »uch public: abattoirs as a rigid eysteia of inspection. What was needed wae a pe&ee force eo trained and educated that Ike; could detect ao

adulterated or diseased article, whether, meal, groceries, or anything else. It would-] pay to give the police double the money they ] now received in order to obtain the services of each a class of men. . I Mr Lawry believed that when the evidenee of the small butchers was made public it would be recognised that the whole colony owed them a debt of gratitude. It would ■how conclusively to the whole oommunity that the meat sold in New Zealand was as wholesome, perhaps more so, than in any other part of the British dominions. In Auckland they had one of the beat conducted slaughtering establishment* in the whole colony. There was £20,000 sunk in it, and yet it was proposed to give the munioipal authorities power to aweep this away without compensation. The debate was interrupted by the dinner adjournment