NAUSEOUS NGAHAURANGA.

NZ Truth, Issue 82, 12 January 1907, Page 5

NAUSEOUS NGAHAURANGA.

A SHOCKING STATE OF SQUALOR. fc ■ ■ Meatworks Men Herded Together Like the Beasts Themselves. A Condition of Things Rivalling the Horrors of " The Jungle."

When Up.ton Sinclair's famous book, "The Jungle," saw the light of day, with its sordid story of the horrors extant m connection with the meat trade of Chicago, New Zealanders congratulated themselves that they were not beholden to Packing Town for their supplies of canned stuffs. Whilst other countries stood' aghast at the terrible disclosures , regarding Yankee canned mystery, it was with a feeling of comfort that Maorilanders pointed to the meat works m the colony, and boasted proudly of the stringent regulations obtaining at these places m order to ensure CLEANLINESS/AND PURITY

m the preserved preparations turned out therefrom. At the time when English and other large markets were looking with righteous suspicion upon "tinned dog" ..of all kinds, by reason of the "Jungle" disclosures, the New Zealand Government even, went so far as to obtain analysis ot the colonial brands by the 'highest analystical authorities, m order to satisfy the public that our exports m this line were of the purest possible nature, and that a tin of meat bearinn- the N.Z. brand meant safety for the consumer. "Truth" has no intention, m the disclosures which, m the public interest, it is called upon to set forth here, to suggest that the condition of things ruling m the meat works of New Zealand, as regards the meat itself, even approach the shocking state of things shown to have existed m Chicago. Even if the meat companies were disposed to take, risks of losing their trade by utilising filthy ingredients, the sitrict Government inspection -m vogue would make the practice impossible^-unless the inspectors were corrupt— but the disclosuires hereunder are m themselves, although having no immediate connection with the meat as an article of food, so nearly m touch with it as to call for eithelr

IMMEDIATE ACTION A on the part of at least one large meat-canning company or for the intervention of thfe Government, m the interests of public health. (

Acting on information received a "Truth" reporter journeyed ; -to Ngahauranga this week. His mission was to investigate n . complaint as to the mode of housing the men employed at the wotrks of the Wellington/ Meat Export Company. * It appears that the boarding and housing of these men^ who number some 200 all told, is done partly by the two hotels at Necahauranga, partly by the few housekeepers m the place taking m, boarders, and chiefly by a man named Gay, who runs a large boardinghouse on the company's premises. Probably the employees who reside at the hotels and m private houses are fairly comfortable, but it is with those who, from lack of better accommodation, are forced to live—perhaps herd would be the better way to describe their mode of existence— under Gay's supervision. The board-:,in<*'-house itself is ; a large wooden building standing within some ; fiftyvards of thCiW.M.E. Co's works, and is carried on by Gay under agr^ment, with the Company, he paying neither rent nor" taxes. The place, . as , might be expected with boarders whose clothes, by the nature of their occupation, must become indescribably greasy and soaked with blood of innumerable cattle and sheep, smells abominably and a stranger entering therein becomes almost prostrated by

THE NAUSEATING STENCH, sickening and unbearable. Apparently head hashbouse-keeper Gay, either through long usage or secure m his agreement with the Company, makes but little effort to keep tie place even moderately clean. The kitchen is dirty, so dirty, m fact, that anyone "with a stomach one whit more susceptible than that possessed by the average butcher, would rather go hungry than partake of food prepared therein. Oilcloth covers the table m the dining-room, and, though this rough and (ready tablecloth presents a fairly cleanly appearance on the surface, one glance at the underside shows a reeking mass of filth- The meat supplied, seeing the nature of the establishment just across the way, might naturally be expected, to be of the best. Instead, so it is alleged by some who have sat at the festive board, the joints seirved up are oftentimes mouldy and uneatable. The slete'pain'g ajcooangnoidjatiiion is scandalous, and calls for immediate intervention on the part of the authorities. In one room, measuring some 20 feet by 14 feet, the reporter saw four stretchers, and although it was afternoon, three men were lying there asleep. The

SMELL OF FETID CLOTHING was sickening and blowflies m swarms arose from the various heaps of discarded attire. Tb/ree and four men sleep m these boxes, and sometimes, during busy seasons, the same stretchers are used turn about by men on day and nigtot shifts alternately.

But the worst feature of this sordid squalor has yet to be • related. The "boarding" house itself is wholly insufficient to accommodate the hands engaged at the works, and at the back stands a long double^shanty, closely resembling the scraping sheds on a racecourse. This place is divided into twenty rooms, each about 16 feet by 10 feet, and containing two stretchers apiece. The only article of furniture m these rooms, other than the "beds," is a tiny table, whilst a small window 3 feet by IS inches supplies light. The smell emitted from these boxes is indescribable, and myriads of blowflies keep up an incessant buzz, what time they are not busily "blowing" the workers', blankets and. clothing. At the end of these rows of human "stalls," is a washhouse, furnished with a number .df tin bowls m which the men perform such ablutions as they consider essential. Beyond the wash-house is a place which was apparently built for a urinal. It is impossible to describe, the condition of

THIS REEKING INFERNO : the test appellation that can be given it is summed up m the one word "Horrible!" There is jio attempt at drainage, and the wonder is that men

can herd together under such conditions and . yet avoid a destructive outbreak of disease. The water used for washing comes from the 'stream running down the Gorge, yet further up the Same stream receives all. the drainage from the fellmongery woncs at Johnsonville and all the snriace drainage of that township. It is an astounding fact that, despite the filthy nature of their worK, ho . semblance of a bath is provided m order that the men can keep themselves clean,' it evi<J*>ntly being considered sufficient that tiie harbor is within reasonable distance, and the manwh o wishes to cleanse himself thoroughly has to make the journey thereto and bathe m the briny. Every drop of water has to be carried from the stream, and, as there has been no water m the tanks now for several weeks, it is presumed caterer Gay is utilising the same drainage-tainted source for what water is^ needed for culinary purposessr — - - Suffioient has been written to show under what conditions the men engaged at the Wellington Meat Export Company's works .at Ngaihauranga exist. Seemingly the only man who is satisfied with the state of things isJJav. and he is on a good wicket,, right enough. His meat bill is probably infinitesimal, as he gets his supplies at wholesale cost price ; he uses tea which, owing to its poor quality, has to receive such an addition of soda to make it "draw," that the concoction makes its drinker sick and ruins his digestion. Other articles m

GAY'S UNGI>UTTONOUS MENU are equally poor as to quality. Yet with such catering as this, cheerful G-ay has the hide, with the connivance of the Company, to charge his boarders lis per week and for the wretched accommodation already described, each man is charged another 35. 6 d, makin«- 14s 6d m all for the "pleasure" of existing m a state Which even the cattle it is his business, to prepare for the market would not envy. It is even alleged that, so much does Gay study his compulsory boarders' cleanliness, he carts the vegetables for table use ya the some vehicles as he does the pig-slush collected around the city hotels and restaurants, whilst thg porkers themselves are penned only a short' distance from the boarding house.

Altogether a terrible state oE thimgs exis.ts at Ngahauranga, yefc perhaps caterer G-ay should hardly , be blamed for it. The fault really rests with the rich Wellington Meat Export Company for not making better provision for the workers -who earn its dividends. Putting aside ihe natural conclusion that meat handled by men , herded together under the unnatural conditions described, not to mention the flies and insanitary surroundings, may easily become tainted, It is the plain duty of the Company to house its men m such a manner as shall, at least conduce to Health and ami fort, ' Possibh^-a. visit from the Health Officer would hasten this, most desirable and necessary reformation.