CONDEMNATION OF SHEEPS CARCASES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 24

CONDEMNATION OF SHEEPS CARCASES.

Blr, Be..B c .. ED- Garewj, S.Mi,. was-. 4ngng,ed- cae gr«a.tesf. pw!?. of ' Jane l*> ia tißs-ring.' mi applicstionj laid) undeiv the Phblio^Health A*b>, la have 19 Ciwrcsses- of she&p. found in bho 1 . factory. 1 of" MesarsiA. and/-I M-'Farlanooondemned. assucfib. fbr."bnuiß.n> coniumpfcionr. Mi:E. JR?.. Chapman appeared 1 in support of tfief" appHcstfibm. and! Mr Mondy appeared for fctfe Mseßsrs'M?Fkrlkae. "VViHiam^ Di Snowball,, duly, qualified' veterihair.y, aur gpon; s^i A' bhab 1 he had- Uel'd' tfaab" posi- ■ tibn for.li l y,oara:, He. qualified' in London, and.

watsa tnpuiber" of- the" Itby.aS 1 Cbllbgn ofr Veter-

ioßrjt Surgeons. He had' * special training in biolbgjvand in the quality of. uieafc p.s food, Hes hp.d devoted' himaelf to the inspection, of meab' for- human food,, and he was ihspsctor mvw for t'lls Dunedin Oii:>t Abattoir. H"e inspected' 19 nurc»?cs of sheep yestiorday &!■ Messrs JL a-nd' J. M"lTarl&ne's preraisas. id "Muc-clagga.n-9trefr.t-. '.Rhe*prensisca appeared to be a fkct'oyy; i'br. preserving- meals and' janaß» The csi cfeacs- wero Hanging, up in » large room. He gaw« other carcases in the game room, some of them, being; cut nj>. He-ibspenbed the 19 thsf; were not' out ups THey were poor eraaciated r ewesThoJlesh e wi4Si.wei, fla-wud., und-sofD, quita numarketable*, andj unflf for human food; evidently the"i'tjsul3i"of soaiD debilitating disease ot ibsufficienfeforage sustenance. IB a few of the catcasfS"" tKore wece traces of pleurisy,, with gleurilie-Rddesians 'in the cHestf, htib-tbabwas nofc" tbN; reason "why. Ue. coudemned. them. Hydafci'ds or' sbarvat'ioo woiild produce sucb emaciation. The internal organ* not being there, ho cinuld nol- determine whether .they were diseased' or not; He conaidered theau iujurious'as foadu .they/ had absolutely no value as food. T&a rwuarka }ie had*ma,da applfad to each' of' the- )!9\ Ha 3a. w. nine cat.'asaß afe bha same plaes rhe.day befnra,, and' the game process,, of eubtiug, up.- was goitrg on 1 then. He Sfcw BTr.John M''FaTlkna at'theTown H'aH'affcer seeing the nine". lib expressed' an opinion bo him then that the. nine were not fit tor t huniaH food", and' tio waa quite* agreeable to hsve them destroyed — boiled down. Ho made * the • two inspections afc Inspeclos." Donaldson's request. DaiSs?. Mondy.: The evidence of pleurisy did Hufc. appear iu.alllthet 19' sh'ecp. "vViiliam. H.. Taylor, towu clerk,, said' thafc he

rfaw-Mr.-Joiin.JH'FarJtne. who oarxicto. his office

on M'ouday morning. Ht= Saw wibne&s ia.fee first , inst&uce, !>ud thsa she mayor and Inspectors Snowball and* Donaldson tr.gebhar. Mr M'Far-

lane said that some sheep liad'baeui suized by the

inspector as being; unflb frxc ha roan food, that he regretted. it- vety, much.,, and ha asked- thafe the carcaaes should nob bs removed ftom hia business premises; Sib s»id thai) bhe csre&ses had* been bough!} byhiff 3gen&, and were not ■what they should be.- HfeiwasuwillJrjg to have them; treated.* so asi tf»< rtnder tbctn- unfit; for Euuran-ioad. A. pxoi>osition. waa raada bhab, if bh»- caxeseeer wee« destroy^di by boiling; them •with carboliß acid: in\ bhsj-pcestsnoeiof^ltssgeotoc DAQai'nßon,.aDd< Mx M'Fur-knei promised- that nojmore suoll carcases should, be reneivsed,, or any} tir&s, had< hatl bsen< Icilledi or ittspected. at ther. Gity Abxttoir, feh'il- tfeeae carcases- should be per.miiii,edi to- be- d«aii with io bhab way. The mayor approved' of thafc course. 'Th.e»eon▼er&abion baak;glaco beb,weam 10-' and*. 11» o'clock oxc Mondhyr moraing,,aad!,ik had cofei'^nce. to ttie^carcftsee fiounds them: bhab morning*.

Inspector; Doßtt-idfioa; abated bhab air Monday nemaitcd* def.:nc(aGc'6 prsraiaea, iv Maclaggan sbresfe'ratfhalf-pasfc^S-iajtfaa morning, Hs'found nina-skeep'sicaroasiis- iisuging; up. - There wero

onosoc- two siglib ap»-. Th.ere-were<a numbes oi men worlfingi where; the carcases were; and thes^were 1 boning; tiies b«9t aY the» aiieeg taut had" been cafe up. Shortly after witnessi saw Mr MacfarianCj. acd told, biaa, he.-had-, came in tor look,- ats thai mutton. Witnsfift then went back.' to.' bhe? Tawn- ItslU Atoting, under instructional witQejjs' OMfflefl the: nine caccases bo be enfel u^- and-, bniJed. dowu. next d*>y: On Tussdajy witness; visited! the plaice 'again^ at 8:30j, bsfore. bhe.- carcrassa were; hoiied> down^ sudi found 20 csreaos* orsiieeg.'fchere;. DHef- waaerall, whole. Thesß ■were b'^ngibg, in, ,1/he- aßme? cooia. Witmaeo ex»minedi tha- 20. &ud;founff.one;good'.QTio:. The i9>were4W>.r.3JJpoDr... Wdbness, had: been 35 years abi tikei butehßringv trader. The 19; carcaseswitnesa conssiderfidi were.uniiiJ fon bumai) £cod-. Tie^wfite pßdehad from poverty. Tliay, would not.' s»lt< publicly in* a, shop.. Witness book possession of the; 19; oejcagesi, &nd bad 9i still. The-, reskwere destroyed onj tb.B l premises), bub without- witness's? eminent., He- went.on Tuesday night about 6 o'clock to get.the iQ carcases he had lefi_, and. met tha manager. He waa allowed. insi tie bne-|>iace,,but> waa nob permitted fcOA.getf.fchß caresses until f2ie'manageß haxi conBulted Mr M*JEa.Tlane:, TOimsss got) the carcases on- Wednead&y moiudag. R« had«a alighbrdifficulbyi in. getting; tke carcases, bus bhab mighb Kavo.beeo«owihgi bo a. misunderstaudihg. Ha fcjsii th'e^nine-ce.roaaes' now. 3ffr- MotJidy said* ijiai^he 'intended' to' as&for, RUja.d.jaurnraeJi^bilLto'marxflw-'in. order to produes, ftxgexit evidence., T-he ini'ormatvom was ls.id> under section; 81", aDd.ifc seemed that-under that. BecciSn a gen&ltyi t'oilbwed.

MirCttapman saiS 1 thai' anr information- musb Be-iai'dj and-reguiEir proceedings' fallow^ in order, to" abtaau^ & penaiffy_-. His»Warfihigsaid»thßct thtsei proceedings were nofc broughlr for-a- penalty. IJhe only question teffere^him was wUetherffcHß-meat wjvß't'oibe^con-

demned! or' not. rl'halrr l'halr woSj a!l' MfGhapman I askeii-himtDr deuitife a* presenfe Mt'KPondyeaidi he h%d ! expert evidence ta oalh He could call" fehe- preservers and Me j Ha.milfcon, vetercin-ai'y surgeoo-, and they could' speals- generally as to the- meat: - A'ffcfcr his Worshig had' examined the car- ; cases;, tH&"casef-was'ad^oarnefl' tiil'half-patb" 2. On- renaming;. Mr Momiy<t>aid fchab tlie time illowedJhaid- not bten soiucient to- enable him tfo otitaih-, any fuvith.ee. evitrence. This being Wednesday,, fcne-b«fchti'3' were all- afc- fcha'Ssle%*r3s, and' wou^d 1 not" rettarn- until' neaiv 5 sfcYcfck: Ke-'propoaed'tfo procEad'and fcw-addux:e ttie-evidence i ilie i had 1 , but he would' HKo' t'»> sayihis.:. that- ifc would- ftatves been infinitely more* aftti»fßctory_ to his- clients ifithe proceedings' or bhe psnalty ct>uld ! tiv,v& Been broken' concurrently wiWi' tfae^* proceedings' to' get, tire- me ab condemnetU by/iii»* Woi'&fiipi It, would»then- hava gone'fbrdi't&^tHe- gKblic-fchab^bhe meat' in que?r tionwas nt)^intfendfed T (ib> be' eoi'd- orr used* for fdod^.m- any-way;. WBufae- pxopot ed" fo.dojwas tb^c*il'eviaonce"th'afc 6be->mea,b-waß>not unwhole--

Bomer. ,Mfr- Fihdlk^, tfte- manager; did* aob refuse.tfo-^ivo'upr fchß- OJircn<j&s. Hi« explanation' of ; thpr matter was that J'n- i •' Kpecfcor Don-al'dßOn.' came justf when- they- were ! closing up. Mr*l« t i'adsaysenfc'f&L"flltM»Farlant>i ! and the iuspector-ws.e-'atbsdjfco.-allow the matter , ■ to, aiaiid^Qvcr until a. quarfcer.-flAai;. 10- tht),ntxti | morning, so that they ccralS' have an- oepon- j tUnity of, consulting, their, solicitor., His. clients•niahetl' him. ta p.oinfc oufc, thAt^thajr afforded every facility, fee tb'fi. inspector atuLfllLSiiowbj.il.-

fco perform fcaeiLdutiesi, | As.. Hamilton, , a membec of ' the Rby,al College i\ ofl VetorinßrJr Surgeons,. Londbn, nwd. tliat,| he had' been in business about 20L yeai'3. j In the colony ha had held the uosition

o£ inspector of' sfceck fe'o tho SbuthFand' Provincial Government. Witneoa^saw-fche nine ,carcaEßs isbown to ttie. court afc AT'Farlane's. ", preserving works, ffb examined 1 them carefully, aud saw uo sign of disease about' them. ; Tha tne*S waa sound.. If itr, was not diseased ifc ■ was suund. Witness woul'd { s*y the meab would ho wholesome provided ifc went through certain ' prooesses suoh as wers used in preserving for tinning. It would 1 not, witness thought, ba injurious to health after ifc' had gone through fciiese prooesaes; Witness had'o'wned 9touk and 1 sold meafc. Some of ifc was very, lean, but b.B would aofc say 'ifc was juslraa Ts»n as fchafc'sh'own fco. fche courfc. Had, never had any CDnjplainfcK, and n&var sow any. Injurious eff&cfca- froor is. The sheep showa v wero old. Whan Bb.e&?> were •as leAn>aa that, ifc was generally due fca broken 1 fc*ebh--— what shepherds calhsd brokenrtnouthed t Did not' wonder- afc fcha carcase-* bdng-soffc/and • flaccid. They, had been hanging in. a clods i* building for two, days, and one, two, or three I digesters steaming away in. fcha same depart- [ menfc. Tliece wa« a great absence of tat abont ■'h;- ->h:^3p. Two of the carcases- had slight , braiceji over the back. Theso were fche worst i c-f tbfi sb.s^p. Took ifc for granted thafc fche 1. sheep he sa-w afc the works were 1 what; he saw j-oufcsida 1/he.courfc'. If: r.be sheep wera stiffs ring j.froiii any debilibntjtig disease, evidencs would I, have been* found in fche carcasesi

j, To.-lSr Ch&pmaa : I!- the sheep had suffered from hydafida tha-. ufesh would have been a different colour. Thsy would bave- been pale. The sheep wscs nob very pooc. Wh&fc their eonditiaw v?as considered to bs would,- depend !on the judgment of fche parsoit- inspecting fchemi Would say thafc two< of them were very Lpoor;. bat nofc fche others Had bought sheep fas poor as fcho?e, shown for fattening; purposes. i Wnald nut say the-c»w;aeesr wexs fit for. sale in » fflbcp, bu* they w<h-p; flb, fot preserving pur,o", v. It was confined ofche tinsi when cooked, aail- ,''.!! the steam, and ail tha*; was. in fche meat Wftii k.^pb in the, tins. Mr Obapmau : But steam does nofc make ifc nufcritious. ■

Continuing, -witness said fcbat ifc had-.nofc been hit? business fco, deal in meat. The diseases of animals' were-whai" ho had- Had to do with.

I John M'Keiizie said, thafc he had been a me-\t j' prts»>rv.-jr siaest 1862. He had bs&n with M.essrs iA. and J-. M'lTai'lane Sor nine monfciia He'wjis a-rneati exparfe. Hs.ius.d fcoibs- an expert;. He received, the meat in, ifcs-raw state, prepared - ib,. and canned/ ib. Ha saw the 19 car1 casea- in question.. He considered that fcboy were sound. He could find no evidence of ■ disease abou'c them, bub they were thin sheep. They wsre merino owes, evidently .very, well bred.. They wera sound, in fche kidneys. The kidneys were covered with fat;,, and tb.l3 : 1 was 1 - a sign of good health. Fat. meat, was nofc , suitable for 1 pressrviug purposes. Butchers' I metfc would be perfectly useless for this, pus:- ', pose. Whai' was< wanted was ficco, •wholssonifc ■ meafc. but nofc fafc. The 19 caocas-aa could hsuva . been- used, in the business of preserving, aud some far tinning purposes- aud some for. stack- — thafc was, for jellies. .-The. reason for the flaccid appearance was th&fc tha c^rc.\S3S- wer» ' loaded hafore they were sat. WifcnsES had , been in most oLthe meafc. works in the colony. To Mr Chapman :, Witneaßj,from.an.esamina" ■ tion of fche oarcssss when- fchey ; were- hanging upj, was quite satisfied bhat they wt-re-fib for [ use. Tbe 10 had bean ehe.pp.eii up. Vc wac ' late in the afternoon whan ths firtfc lot of sCieep ! came in. Tb was nofc ckuii. Ifc was Abo<\b 5 ; o'clock when the second' lot c<me in uu Mon- , day. A slaughterman named Wal'di'e brought; ! 'the^firsS lot in on Friday. Witnesg' considered 1 the kidneys wera fairly covered wirh' fat | 3?ba,fc clasa- of meat was nofc fib for bulciiera' ; , sfaopsr. The meafcwas worfcii Id a' Ib. . i William Wrighfc, employed' by A. and J. M'Eariane as emaii goods man, satid s that he ' had. been- 28 years afc the business ok Home and ;aßroad.; aßroad. Had hesn with Messrs M'Pariane ' about" two years and' nine months 1 . Examined \ t ' the 19" carcases and 1 could see no aigtr of disease ' about them. He considered them sound, and fchouglifc' they were: fib for food. Would say . they. v werp old" ewes 1 culled from- tbe fibek. AcJ) couatedr for, fche flaccid) orrdifcion f com bhs 1 facb that they, wera senff,im warmiand hadibesn in i the fflcfcoffv when; ifc wias falL of. sleam and j damp. I His. Worship,, after brieE consideration;, said 1 fchafc. tha evidence, was conbradiefcosy as> to 1 ]• whether fche caresses were. fib. for human food j or. not. MTesfSKS. M'B^rlftna had called two. cf > ■ their emulojees and Mr H-amilbon. On fche | other, hand-fchera w*» bhetevidaaca of an exoerfc (Mr; Snowball} aafl Inspector Donaldson.. Ha I had had an opportunity of. seeing the- meat ! himself, and ha w»ai compelled fco say, that the ' meat would be condemned, as unfit for human food, Ifc was meat he would certainly nofc eai; himself, nor- wouj'd he. allow anyone belonging to him io eat ifc. ' An order, would b-j made, condemning; fcha nine caccasas of, mutton, and- a- , further, order, msidsb fch&fc.the. nifiab be; dettfcroyed' 'by Insjsecber Donaldson,, so aa* fca prevent* ii ,-from being used^for fchs-fbod of "man* L