THE ABATTOIRS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10619, 14 March 1896, Page 3

THE ABATTOIRS.

TO THE EDITOH.

Sib, —The recent action of the Taieri County Council in not granting permission to the City Council to erect abattoirs on the site purchase d should be taken as final to the erection on that particular site. It should stimulate them to take prompt action in «ecurin» another site. There are surely plenty of them available nearly, if not quite, ao goad as tho one selected. I believe Mr Sidey has plenty of land iuitable, with lots of grazing accommodation, quite handy. Although prob ibiy he has not offered it to ths City Council, I ffjel sure he could be treated with if approached in the matter.

Mr Samson's opposition all through the piece has bsen to prevent any other site but the sne he is on to be chessn. However, he opened his mouth too wide, and I sincerely trust tbe City Council will give his particular site the go by, although it would be a blessing to the inhabitants to have tha public abattoir there instead of the prß3eaS slaughter yard. Ifc was a great pity the Taiori Couucil did not have the petitions analysed. The outcome would have beeu quite the reverse of what Mr Samson represented. This I kno>.v for a fact, as those living in tha immediate vicinity of the site, with the exception of one man (who worka for Mr Samson occasionally) mgoed the petition in favour of the application being granfed. Several of those who signed the petition presented by Cr Samaon signer! under a misrepresentation of the state of affairs, but when the true state of things was pointed out to them signed in favour of granting the application of the City Council.

Mr Samson's last action in the Taieri Couucil with regard to some of his fellow councillors shows what a vindictive spirit the man ha» got.

I hope, Sir, the City Council will take active measure!) at once, as there is virtually no inspection at the present time although the act provides for id.—l am, &c, Dunedin, March 9. Reform,

TO THE EDITOE. Sib, —Will you permit me, through tha medium of yoar columns, to publicly protest against the grossly misleading statements made by Cr Simsou with reference to the nbat'ora question at the mneting of the Taieci Couuty Council on l'riday, 6th iost.

A« originator of the petition presented to the counci', asking them to rescind their decision sod grant permission to the Duuedin City Council So erect abattoirs upon the site selected, I am surely the one mist in a position to judge of the bona fides of the 217 names appearing thereon.

Cr Simion is reported in yonr issue of Saturday last to have stated that over 40 per cent, of the signatures appearing on the petition were minors, 25 p?r cent, did not live in the county at all, aud W per cent, lived out of the district. Furthermore, he added thai; the petition was only signed by about 10 per cent, of legitimate electors.

It is difficult to con-eive a more limentuble display of crass ignoranca than that contained in the above remarks, inasmuch as the speaker, in tha s&ms breath, whan dealing with percentage*, quotes such figares as 40 per cent., again 40 per cent and 25 per ceufc., with an additional 10 per cent., —totalling 115 per cant. (sic) for every 100 nimes.

Now, Sir, if Cr Samson, in conjunction with other councillors—not of necessity Crs Harrison, Todd, and Oughton — who so thoroughly coiucide with his views on this question—examine the petition we, as ratepayers and residents, have forwarded to the couucil, thsy will find th&t they are utterly unable to confute th« following statements :—

(1) That out of the 13 electors living in the immediate vicinity of the site selected for the abattoirs, no less than 11 have signed in favour of the petition.

(2) That the majority of the farmers in the riding are in unison in the matter of supporting the petition.

(3J That every name subscribed is bma Jide, and can ba cinfirnißd by the electoral roll and personal inquiry—Df which names 70 are ratepayers in the riding.

(4) That at the outside not more than six persons subscribing are minors.

(5) That it is the residents and ratepayers wbo have the interest of the district and their own to consider who have appended their names to fhs petition.

(6; Tbat five leading firms in Dunedin whose business interests are closely associated with the erection of the proposed abattoirs on the selected site have also confirmed the choice of the Dunedin council.

Cr Samson's mischievous remarks are grossly and, I am fain to think, intentionally misleading. Cr Snow's remark was very pertinent) whi-n he stated that there was one member of the council who waa opposing the abattoir sytem, but Mr Samson should remember that when elected as councillor for the district his preferential duty was the interests of his constituents at large, not the conservation of his own interests, —I am, &*>.,

John Campbell,

Lower Eaikorsi, March 9

P.S —As I have neither time nor inclination to enter upon a newspaper controversy with Cr Samson, I can only refer him to recital 3 iv my statements.—J. C.