THE ABATTOIR QUESTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 224, 28 May 1896, Page 15

THE ABATTOIR QUESTION.

At latt week's meeting of the Dunediu Sanitary Institute, ' Mr Sandilands thought that the council of the institute should take rome actiou regarding the abattoirs. It seemed lo him a pity the abattoirs should be built on the new site, and he noticed from a statement in the papers that it was reported that the result of the petition of the butchers of Duiu-Hn Against the erection of abattoirs on tho Walton Park site would be that the Dunedin City Council would go no further in the matter. It was also stated that an o' her application would be made to the Taieri County Council ssk'ng that body to take into consideration the fact that the sccoi.d site is condemned by the butohero (whose oonvenience must be studied), and allow the question of the erection of abattoirs on the Burniide site to be reconsidered. He expressed great regret that the charge had been made, and said, if possible, they should assist the City Corpora'ion to get the firat Mte selected. He moved — " That it be remitted to the council of the institute to take action, if necessary, to back up the City Council in obtaining No. 1 site." If what had been reported was correct, and the City Council was going to endeavour to get the first site selected, it would be well to do something to assist that body. Mr H. S. Fish thought the suggestion a valuable one. He would be sorry to advocate any course that would cause undue delay in the prostcution of a necessary sanitary reform, but it would, in his opinion, be far bettor to delay the ereotion >of the abattoirs until such time as the corporation could obtain the consent of the Taieri County Council to use the site first selected, er until legislative power mg obtained under which the work might proceed as originally intended. . To the new site the objection! on the ground of distance and unfit and inadequate supply of water were very serious. In view of the unquestionable /necessity fora complete s>stem of drainage, thorough inspection of dairies, and due inspection and proper killing of meat, the shame* fal and disgraceful apathy on the part of the balk of the citizens was most disheartening, and be almost despaired of sanitary reforms being effected in the city. Dr Will said that the previous speakers were quite mistaken as to the water supply /on the site recently selaoted for the abattoirs. He knew that Mr Clarkson had sank a fortune ia trying to pump dry a shaft that was on the new tit* - W&thfl WftUanJPjuck CamßUßj was sump.

ing from 50,000 to 100,000 gallons of water a day out of the mine. The water supply, he was certain, was ample in quantity ; of ita quality he knew nothing. He believed if tho matter was to be decided on the question of water supply the decision would be strongly in favour of the new site. Fish s*id he could not accept this statement unless Dr Will made it ai the result of his peraonaUknowlcdge, and that even than the water woulfrb.*ve to be pumped — a matter of continual expense; and the distance from town made the site much less desirable than the one formerly decided upon. . Dr Will replied that ht could speak from his ©wn knowledge as to the buffi<iiency in quantity of ,the water supply. Mr F. W. Petbb admitted that a very large quantity of water could be raised from the shaft On No. 2 mfc=>, but expressed the opinion that ifc ■we-s the drainag.i from the K>\iborai stream. H« remembered that at the tim« referred to a great deal of water was pumped fronatUe shaft, and also that it was very foul. If it was the drainage from Ihe Ktikorai stream he thought it possible it would yield a plentiful supply of. hydatids, and was of opinion that if possible the site originally selected for the abattoirs should be utilised. On the motion being put it was adopted nem. dis. At the meeting of the City Council on the 20th a deputation from the stock and station agents and butchers appeared to object to the site recently selected for public abattoirs. Some 20 gentlemen attended, amon«c«t them being Mesais D. Reid, L. Maclean, C." Morris, J. Grindley, T. Sinitb, W. Patrick, W. Raudell, and W. Duke. Tho Mayor mentioned that Messrs Wright, St«phenson, and Co. and other stock ag-jufcs had written stating lhat they had bami asked to forward a copy of a requisition to them from the master butchers carrying on business in Dunediu and suburbs, and asking that the requisitionists and stock agents might have an opp irtunity of waiting on the council to represent their views in respect to the selection of a site for the erection of abattoirs, ho that, when erected, they might prove suitable to those engaged in the trade. The council, his Worship said, would gladly hear the deputation. Mr Donald Reid, sen., said ha had been asked by the members of the deputation to say a few words as to the objectionable nature of the site recently selected for the abattoirs. He desired, first, to urgo that the site originally selected was better than the one now proposed to be taken. Ifa was quite true that some members of the deputation and some of those engaged in the butchering trade had signed a paper objecting to the site fiist selected by the council, but that was only because in their viow it was not an ideal site ; but when they saw that the choice lay between the two sites they felt constrained to say that it would be far better to utilise the original site or one contiguous to it. The great objection to the site now proposed to be taken was the distance from the city and the saleyards. The distance from the city was a matter of two miles extra, and there would be great trouble in conveying stock from the saleyards when, as often happened, they had to be slaughtered on the day of the sale and the day following. Another objection to the new site was on the ground of water supply. It was true there was a shaft there from which water could be pumprd, but that shaft was but a very short distance from the Ureen Inland river, and when he was in the habit of passing the sito he ÜBed to hurry past in order to get out of the foul smell produced by that creek. He was speaking of what he knew to exist 18 or 19 years ago, and though he was not now in the habit of passing the place, he believed the water supply from that old shaft could not be considered very suitable for abattoir purposes. These were the objections the members of the trade desiied should be laid before the council. There was also an objection he desired to urgaon behalf of those who had to briDg stock for sale. The convenience of some of the Taieri producers would doubtless be consulted by the selection of the Walton Park site ; but when they considered the convenience of those on the sea- coast, Forbury, Peninsula, the North-East Valley, Waitati, and north almost to Waikouaiti, the decision must bo in favour of the original site, whirh had been already acquired. In view of these objections he thought they might reasonably ask that further delay should be made until another effort was made to get tbe consent of the Taieri County Ccuncil to having the abattoirs on the site already acquired, or on some site convenient thereto. If the County Council etill refused to give coi sent, the deputation could not think that Parliament would allow them to .stand in the way of securing -that which was , most acceptable to the veople who required the abattoirs. He was at a los 3to understand why the County Council should raise objections to the site first selected ; for the site recently selected, so far as' access for stock was concerned, was far more objectionable. The deputation admitted the right of the cuiincil to insist upon the inspection of meat. Most of those who signed the requisition were in favour of having rigid inspection, and admitted it not only as a right but as a duty ; but they also thought that in tbe selection of the site those who would uae^he works should be consulted as to what was most suitable. Something had been said as vto psrsons being interested. No doubt everyone engaged in the trade was interested, but it was a general interest they possessed— an interest held on behalf of the public, who weie to be the consumers of the food prepared at the abattoirs. They denied that they had auv selfish interests to serve, and he maintained that everyone should be interested in seeing that the buildings would b8 a credit and that they were erected where they would be used for the purposes for which they were intended and would not entail a loss on the city. Looking at the financial aspect of the question, assuming the corporation built on the second site, the council had no power that he was aware of to prevent meat that had been duly inspected from being sold in the city. Nor did he think that power would ever be granted to prevent the erection of private abattoirs, so that unless the public abattoirs were erected upon a suitable Bite there was little prospect of their being used, and loss to the citizens must follow. Then if the meat had to be carried an extra distance, involving additional cost, that extra cost would also ultimately fall upon the citizens— tin- • msumers. If abattoirs were erected on a site i>u«t was objectionable the butchers would not go to them, but would support private enterprise in having private convenient abattoirs that would comply with the terms of the net, and then the corporation works would stand as a monument of indiscreet expenditure — he thought that might be the way to put it,— and the burden would be imposed on the ratepayers. The deputation wished to disclaim personal interests in bringing this matter before the council. The stock and station agents had not felt it their business to interfere so long as there was a chance of the matter being settled in such a way as to give satisfaction, but -when it came to a point when there was the prospect of a large expenditure that would be fruitless in' securing what he was sure was desired by his Worship and the council, they felt it to be their duty to make their sitws known.

Mr f. Smith spoke in opposition to the site recently selected. He said the butchers were not afraid of having tha meaf inspeoted, for no butcher who bought good meat oould object to its inspection. The objection to the first site was because it wa3 not considered an ideal site, but it wa» much to be preferred to the site now contemplated, which he deemed objectionable on the ground of distance, improper water supply, and want of proper sanitary conditions, drainage, *o. He had no doubt that if abattoirs wore erected on the site recently selected they would prove a white elephant " ; butchers would not kill there. Another member of the deputation stated that the paddock accommodation was much more extensive near the saleyards than at the aifce now selected. Mr D. Reid, in reply to questions, said he was greatly surprised at the action taken by the laien County Council, and that he did not think Parliament would allow a city like Dimedin to have its interests set aside on frivolous grounds. Hp believed the deputation would use its influence to set the County Council to consent to the original site being used by the corporation. Mr T. Smith also expressed the opinion that the butchers would unanimously support the City Council in getting the original site utilised for the purpose for which it had been acquired. His Won ship thanked the members of the deputation for the expression of their views, and intimated that tbe council would deliberate upon them. -The deputation then withdraw. A letter was then read from Mr Thomas Howortb, who wrote as to the doubts entertained by some members of the council as to the water supply on the proposed site for the abattoirs at Walton Park, and substantiated what Mr Loudon said with regard to the matter. Mr Clarkeon pumped continuously night and day for -abbut six months without getting rid of the water. Ha observed that it was reported ivi the newspapers that the water rose SOft in one night. That was uot coirect, as the water ro3e nearly 200 ft, or within 30ft' of the surface. If a shaft were sunk on the Walton Park estate, water would be found in any quantity. The council need have no fear as regards a plentiful supply of water. A letter was ako read from the secretary of the Otago Farmers' Co-operative Association of New Zealand, who wrote approving of the construction of the abattoirs at G-rean Itlaud, and suggesting that tho corporation erect yards in connection with the abattoirs and charge .the public moderate dueß for the use of them. The Mayor moved— "That the documents be referred to the General Committee to report." He, however, might be permitted to say that he did not think that the General Committee should relax their efforts in pursuing their object, and that without any d<-lay. It seemed to him, wtthout going into the arguments used by the membar<> of the deputation, and especially those of Mr Smith, that they were wholly untenable. Mr Smith evidently did not understand what ho was talking about. To talk about water percolating into the well pn the Green Island site fiom tho creek was ridiculous nonsense. It was well known to geologists that the water in that district went through a 40ft bed of *and, which formed a perfect filter. Then Mr Smith said that the site had n<> fall unless it was intended to drain into what he was pleased to call a cesspool ad bluck as ink. It was, however, not intended to drain in that place. Cr Carroll seconded the motion. Cr Dawson said, in the meantime, no action should bo taken with regard to erecting abattoirs on the site selected. The Mayor stated that negotiations were now proceeding w ith the Government for a siding. An answer would be received to the council* application in a few days. The committee were also in communication with the Traffic department as to the cost of railage ; and he thought the council ought to be made thoroughly acquainted with these matters before they purchased a site. Or M'Greqor moved as au amnndment — That no further action be taken until the General Committee bring up a report." Cr Cohen seconded the nroendmont pro forma,. He thought no negotiations of a committal character should be undertaken in the meantime. If the deputation who waited on the council were agreeable to use their influence with the Taieri County Council in favour of the originally-selected site, the council ought to again appro *eh *he County Council and give them an opportunity to reconsider their decision. If those gentlemen had exeicised thair influence two months ago then the whole position of this matter might have been charged for the better. Cr Solomon thought it was highly desirable that the council should carry the stock agents and butchers with them if they possibly could. Inserting a bu~iucss of this kind they should look upon thore gentlemen as their customers, and it was the duty of the council to them and to the ratepayers to do what they, reasonably could to meet their views. He was, therefore, quite prepared, if there was any chance of success, to again approach the laieri < l ounty Council. He was not vevy sanguine about success, but he did not think that the council should leavs any 'stone unturned to carry the stock and station agents and butchers with them. If the council could start these abattoirs with the business of these gentlemen pledged to them it was au important factor in the matter of success. Cr Swan said it appeared to him that if the council erected abattoirs upon tho site originally selected they would have the whole of the members of the deputation with them, and so make the thing a success, whereas if they built abattoirs upon the second site they would not gtt half of the deputation to use tho ab ttoirs. Mr Smith spoke of the stagnant condition of the water in the oeek near the second site. As the abattoirs, if erected, would have to drain into that creek, the water would be rendered still more polluted than it was at present. Cr Ciiisholm said, in hi 3 humble judgment, though it might be demonstrated beyond doubt that, there was water in sufficient quantity, and pure, on the last-selected site, that did not get over the objection urged by the deputation. The distance of the site from town was afrreater objection than the probability that there would be a scarcity of water. Then, although it was not intended to drain into the creek close to where it was proposed to erect the abattoirs, but into a creek or gully at the back of the site, this creek or gully ran into the former creek, which was affected by the tide. The water in the creek was dammed back by the action of the waves at its mouth, and the current in the creek was as often going up towards the abattoirs as ia the direction ot the ocean. He trusted thit the council would erect abattoirs on the originally-purchased site. Cr Hardy movei as a further amendment— " That another effort be made to induce the Taieri Council to consent to our erecting abattoirs on the site at Burnside, as originally intended." If the Taieri Council once more refused there would be an end to the mattrr ; but if the City Council approached them once more with the view of getting their consent to the erection of abattoir* on the originally-selected site, it would show that no stone had been left unturned in connection with the matter. Cr Dawson seconded the amendment ; but After further discussion both amendments were withdrawn om the understanding that nothing of a committal nature should be done by the committee before reporting to the council ; and the motion moved by the Mayor was subsequently tut and carried unanimously.