THE CITY ABATTOIRS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11800, 1 November 1901, Page 6

THE CITY ABATTOIRS.

The question of a site for the city abattoirs was again before the Auckland City Council at its meeting last night. A letter was read from Mr. R. Salmon offering to sell his abattoir at Mount Roskill, and Mr. G. Knight, president of the Master Butchers' Association, wrote stating that at a meeting of butchers held to consider the question of the abattoirs site, it was unanimously resolved that there is no sit© within a reasonable distance of Auckland that can equal the site known as Faulder's, and that the Council be urgently recommended to decide upon that site for the following reasons: (1) Convenience to the city and approached by good roads; (2) it was sufficiently isolated end at the same time met all sanitary requirements, commanded good ventilation, and being off the water shed could not possibly contaminate the water. On the action of the Council in this matter depended the question of the small butchers being absorbed by the big firm. The butchers were waiting the Council's decision with great anxiety. The Finance Committee reported having been waited on by a deputation of master butchers (Messrs. G. Knight, Garrett, and Marks), who submitted their views in preferring Faulder's site for tho new abattoirs. The committee recommended that Mrs. Faulder's terms for a lease bo accepted subject to the approval of the Minister for Agriculture as to the site. The Mayor moved that the two letters and the report of the committee be referred to the Council to visit the various sites. He said at last meeting it was decided that the committee should visit Faulder's Point, but 011 the day appointed only Messrs. Stichbury and Han nan and himself turned up. He was convinced that they would not get a better site than Faulder's, but he thought all members of the Council should have the opportunity of seeing it. He thought they should also invite representatives of the Butchers' Association to bo present, visit both sites, and decided on the spot. Mr. Stichbury seconded. Mr. McLeod moved as an amendment, "That offers of sites suitable for abattoirs bo publicly invited, sites to be within a radius of six miles from the "Wesley Hall, Karangahapo Road." He said ho had been told that it would require £3000 to erect; a suitable building for the butchers, and the drainage would be expensive, for all of which the Council would get no compensation at the end of the lease. He objected to tho leasing proposal altogether, and held that the Council should acquire a freehold. Mr. Patterson seconded. Mr. Stichbury thought they might advertise for suitable sites, while they visited the sites now under offer. lie favoured advertising for a suitable site, but ho believed in the end they would have to fall back on Faulder's site. Mr. Court thought it would be waste of time to vis-it any site until they had advertised and got under offer all the available sites. Mr. Rosser said there were about 27 small butchers interested in thi? matter, and he believed if the Council dallied with this question and lost the offer of Faulder's site the small butchers would be compelled to purchase their meat from the large butchers, and a monopoly would thus be created. The Mayor said the longer the Council delayed in this matter the more money they were losing, and as a matter of fact if they did not settle the matter by April 1 the Government would step in and settle it for them. He did not believe this site of Faulder's would be a permanent site, because ho believed the population would so shift with the. extension of the tramways as to compel tho City Council to take their abattoirs further out, but thoy had meantime to consider the necessities of the smaller butchers, who could not go far out and at the same time compete with the larger butchers, who had private slaughterhouses. If there was any better site to be had by all means let them have it. Ho was quite prepared that the sites should be visited a. week from now, and that meantime offers or sites could be publicly invited. Mr. MoLeod agreed to'this, and his motion being withdrawn, it was decided to invite offers for sites, and visit the variola aiics next Friday..