LEVIN ABATTOIR SCHEME.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 May 1928, Page 6

LEVIN ABATTOIR SCHEME.

COMMITTEE INSPECT FEILDINCr AND PALMERSTON WORKS.

MR LAMBETH APPOINTED

ARCHITECT.

Further progress with the Levin abattoir scheme was made at the ‘Borough Council meeting on Monday evening, when a, report was received relating to a visiit by the Finance Committee to the Feilding and Palmerston* North institutions, and a resolution was passed appointing Mr C. Lambeth, of Hamilton, architect for the erection of the Levin abattoirs.* 1 A letter was received from the Horowhenua County Council consenting to the establishment: of the abattoir on section 4, Bartholomew Settlement, in terms of the Slaughtering and Inspection Act, 1908.

The Town Clerk formally reported that on Wednesday last, at the suggestion of the Abattoirs Committee, ho visited the abattoirs at Feilding and Palmerston North, in company ,with the committee.

A motion was passed confirming the Town Clerk’s action.

Cr Keedwell, chairman of the Abattoirs Committee, stated that the sketch plan from the consulting architect, Mr Lambeth, had been before the committee, which, to gain more knowledge, Visited the Feilding and Palmerston abattoirs, interviewed the managers, and gathered some useful working information. At Feilding they wore particularly interested in the special plant for the de-hairing of pigs. The plant, which had been imported from America, would have a capacity of 120 pigs an hour if the Feilding staff could work all round it; they were handling, at the rush times, 60 pigs, four men being engaged with the machine. The year before last theFeilding abattoir handled 12,000 pigs in the twelve months. The committeealso inspected the Feilding abattoirbuildings. The manager looked over the sketch plan foi- the Levin abattoir, and said that it seemed to him a very satisfactory lay-out indeed and ho wished that he could have something like it when new abattoirs were built. Work at the Feilding institution was on a contract system. The contractor practically hired the abattoirs from the Feilding Council, paying for water, use of plant, and steam and keeping the drains and® the abattoir generally in order, the Council taking a royalty over every animal killed. Thus theFeilding Council was freed of all work and trouble in the matter. The manager had a special pen of pigs putthrough the machine, to show the committee its working. The manager was a Government inspector; he inspected all the meat and saw that the contractor kept everything up to the requirements of the contract.

Cr Roe asked if there was anything left of the pig. Cr Parker: Just the squeak (Laughter.)

Cr Keedwell: The machine takps all the hair off.

Cr Falloon: I would not like to get in it, anyway. Cr Keedwell, continuing his report,, stated that at the Palmerston abattoir the committee were surprised at the magnitude of the concern and the utilisation of the by-products, which was amazing. He saw Iho processes of making blood and bone manure, and the use of digesters; also the big steam plant, worked from a destructor. The works included a jumping plant, an electric plant, a boiling-down outfit for the production of neatsfoot oil, and a plant for mixing fertilisers. The manager discussed the plans with the committee and pointed out where h* considered that improvements coiild be made. Some of his suggestions appeared to the committee as very practical. Cr Keedwell -added that the consulting architect had his reasons for laying out the plan as he had done, but some of the suggestions from Palmerston would bo worth discussing with him.

On the motion of Cr Koedwell, seconded by Cr Parker, it was decided lo write to Mr Ramsay and Mr Spilman, managers of the Feilding and Palmerston abattoirs respectively, expressing appreciation of the courtesy they had extended to the committee.

Cr Mortehsen said the committee should have got some ideas about, a. freezing chamber. If freezing spacecould be obtained in Wellington, the carcases could be consigned frorat Levin abattoirs without freezing them here, and so a saving could be effected in the cost of erecting th;c abattoirs.

Cr Roe asked if it was the intention; of the committee to recommend a chilling chamber. The Mayor replied in the negative, explaining that the idea was to have' the wind blowing through the cooler. Cr Roe: That is all right in the winter. I don’t know how it will answer in a very hot summer, but we must abide by what the committee has seen. Cr Koedwell stated that he had made a point of discussing with Mr Spilman the prospect of killing for the Wellington market, and installing a chilling chamber.. Mr Spilman did not think this necessary, but considered that, with a free ingress of air, themeat would be sufficiently chilled for sending to Wellington, as it would bodespatched in the early ho.urs t of the morning and reach its destination before the heat came on. Cr Hutchings suggested ... that the points of difference between thesketch plan and Mr Spilman s suggestions be convoyed to Mr , Lambeth, so that he could inspect the lameiston abattoirs. Cr Parker: He has been there. Cr Hutchings: Then he probably had very good reasons for his proposals. " A resolution was passed, on the motion of Cr Koedwell, seconded by Cr Goldsmith, appointing Mr Lambeth architect for the construction of th(* Levin abattoirs.