THE ABATTOIR ENQUIRY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 3 December 1914, Page 4

THE ABATTOIR ENQUIRY.

FINDING OF THE COMMITTEE

At a special meeting cf the Borough Council on Wednesday evening the special committee appointed to enquire into the complaints brought forward by Cr. dimming on behalf of the butchers with reference to aifairs at the abattoirs, presented its finding winch was as follows•:— - ' "Your committee beg to report having gone very fully into th*j matter or insufficiency of rrys and discontent of butchers about management of the abattoir, and have found that the charges have not been sustained, inasmuch as, although the whole of the butchers had been written to asking them to foroward complaints, if any, and also to attend the enquiry, only two butchers replied, which are not complaints at all, and which ought to be read to councillors. "We also find that frys and livers which Councillor Jones and the hatcheries have been getting have been diseased ones, which belong to the Stock Department, and which neither the Council nor the butchers have anything to do with, these being at the disposal of the inspector. "We would also like to stato that, after hearing the manager, your committee have every confidence that he is carrying out his duties in a conscieutious and efficient manner to all concerned, and had Councillor dimming gone to the manager in the first place this enquiry need not have been held, as he would have explained the whole matter satisfactorily to him. "We would also like to' draw the Council's notice for favorable consideration to the suggestion by the manager that a digester be erected at the abattoir to deal with all condemned stuff.—Signedfi E. Morrissey, on behalf of committee." Cr. Morrissey moved that the report be received. He said it was satisfactory to know that the enquiry showed that the abattoirs had been carried on in the best possible wav, although he regretted that charges' had been brought against the manager, more especially after his serious illness and the illness in his family, and it must be very satisfactory that the enquiry had found .nothing against his management. Cr Reid seconded the motion. Cr dimming congratulated Cr Morrissey on the fair manner in which he had conducted the enquiry, and also on his unbiassed attitude through the whole of the proceedings, and although he (Cr dimming) thought at times that Cr Morrissey's attitude savored a little of the defending counsel, yet he was sure if this was so it was unwittingly done. "In bringing this matter before the Council he brought it in good faith and in the best interest of the public, believing that he had had a good case and a just cause for an enouiry. He must congratulate Mr Barker on the finding of the committee in freeing him from any suspicion of unfairness in his dealings .with the abattoir management. "With regard to some of the witnesses at the en- j quiry they were for the most part .eyv discreet, and as discretion was said to be the better part of valor, probably it would be wise to leave the matter at that. Although the enquiry to a certain extent proved some of his contentions to be wrong, yet he thought it had done good; it certainly had thrown certain light on the working of the abattoirs that would prove of mutual benefit to the Council, the management, and also to the butchers and the general public. The suggestion that a digester be erected at the abattoirs Was a good one, and if it were carried out the enquiry had not been in vain. Before bringing this matter before the Council he had made himself conversant with the workings of abattoirs in other districts with reference to the disposal of diseased livers and frys that were slightly infected with hydatids. And while he did not object to the hatcheries receiving condemned livers from the abattoirs —and probably neither did the butchers —he did object to private individuals removing them,- especially where the person is the possessor of a dog. There was a certain amount of weakness running through the finding of the committee that probably was to be expected and -excused when laymen had to be lawyers and attempted to weigh up evidence. One of the clauses in the committee's finding appeared to be very weak, and the only inference to be taken from it was that the Stock Department had made regulations giving absolute and complete control to the abattoirs manager in condemning the property of the butf chers, without issuing restrictions as to the disposal 6f such condemned material to safeguard the public and protect the property and rights of the butchers. He considered the committee, before coming to such a finding, should have sent to the Department in Wellington, or to the Minister in charge, and requested that the regulations arid instructions to abattoir managers be forwarded to the Council to aid the committee in this enquiry as to the disposal of diseased frys and livers. Such a condition or regulation, giving absolute control without making adequate restrictions to safeguard the property of others, was unBritish. and he refused to believe that such a regulation existed until it was furnished to the Council from the headquarters of the Department. | Should the finding of the enquiry in the matter of the disposal of livers and frys prove to be correct, he hoped the Council would make it widely known, so that the public might benefit by the finding, for he was sure very few people* wege aware that it was permissible for them to go to the abattoirs and receive rejected livers and frys, which the manager deemed fit for fowls' food, after having been given reasonable assurance that these would not be used for the feeding of dogs. With regard to Cr Jones, little need be said, and as a man's power of thought usually controlled his actions he was prepared to accept the statement made by him at the last Council meeting when he stated "he did Hot think there was any danger or harm in taking the condemned livers or frys." He did not think Cr Jones would unconsciously prejudice himself or his good name in any way whatever, and he was perfectly satisfied to accept his statement as made in explanation with a full appreciation of his uprightness and integrity. Cr Jones expressed his satisfaction at the finding of the committee, and '"■c certainly thought that an apology was due to him from Cr dimming. The Mayor: That is a matter between -you and Cr Gumming, Cr Jones. Cr Morrissey said there was nothing li prevent the Council writing to the Department asking if there were any directions to managers as to the disposal of diseased frys. The Mayor said he was very well pleased with the finding of the committee, which must be satisfactory to all concerned. The motion was carried. Cr Morrissey moved that the last clause of the finding, with reference t~> the erection of a digester, be referred to the Abattoirs Committee to see if it was possible to carry out the suggestion. This was seconded by Cr Cumming and carried. On the motion of Cr Cumming and Cr Bone, it was decided to write to

tho Department in Wellington, asking if there were any instructions issued to managers «f abattoirs with reference to the disposal of diseased frys or livers.

A motion that the evidence be published was lost.