PUBLIC ABATTOIRS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8408, 6 January 1899, Page 3

PUBLIC ABATTOIRS.

CONFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWC COUNCILS. A conference between the members ol the Abattoirs Committee of the liorougli Council and the Cook County Council took place this afternoon, there being present : Councillors Macfarlane, Graham, JexBluke, Cooper, Hutchinson, King, and Xombleson of the County Council, and the Mayor, and Councillors Lewis, Skoet , and Kennedy of the Borough Council. Mr Macfarlane, County Chairman, expressed a desire to obtain from the Committee nny information they had as to the working of abattoirs in other places. The Mayor said the whole of the information they had was contained in a printed form of agreement now before them, which was an exact copy of the proposed agreement drawn up some time- ago between the local bodies and Messrs Nelson Brothers. The Borough Council had not sought for information until an understanding was arrived at as to what action tlie County Council intended to take. The country settlers being the suppliers of meat, they thought the County Council should take up the matter. Other places in the colony had established abattoirs, which were working satisfactorily, and they hadseensonuiehaboutdisease in cattle that they were compelled to admit the necessity of inspection of meat. The matter was made easier by the provision in the statute passed last year by which compensation vaß to be paid for cattle killed. I Cr Lewis said that the first thing to be decided was as to the necessity of the establishment of abattoirs, which ho thought could not be denied. Ci Tombleson asked why abattoirs could not be established without County Council co-operation. I Cr Skeet said. one reason was that the County Council had the granting of all the licenses. The Chairman said one thing to consider was whether the fees would pay the cost of an inspector. He thought they should have abattoirs if they could make them pay. The whole of the county would have to be included in the area, except Tolago. Then there was the question of a site. Was the proposed site a suitable one ? Cr King said was it fair to ask the butchers at Ormond to drive their cattle into town to be slaughtered, and have to cart the meat back again? The cattle would be knocking people over, and doing other damage if driven through the town. He thought they should have the slaughter houses in the country. The Mayor said an arrangement might be made to have the abattoirs at one of the country slaughterhouses, and that was the reason why they wanted the co operation of the County Council to discuss a scheme. He did not think it necessary to include all the outlying districts in the boundaries. Cr Kennedy said the proposals before them were those drawn up by the Committee previously, which Mr Shelton, for the Gisborne Freezing Company, was "willing to adopt. Prom estimates made at that time it was reckoned that there would be about £100 to be made up above the fees received. Cr Tombleson thought the proper place for the abattoirs would be about Makaraka. Cr Kennedy said if they affirmed the principle of abattoirs they might get several offers of sites. Cr King was opposed to having the abattoirs in the town, so that cattle would have to be driven through the streets. The slaughterhouse should be in the country. Cr Jex-Blake said they would require to have chilling chambers. The Jlayor said that the butchers themselves said they would not require chilling chambers. They had had offers already from one of the butchers. These, however, were matters that a Committee could deal with. Cr Tombleson said that if it was a matter of £n0 or £60 from each Council for putting up a shed, he thought it a small item compared with the safety of the meat they eat. He therefore proposed that a Committee be set up to work out the details, the Committee to consist of the Chairman, Cra Graham, Cooper, and King. The motion was carried unanimously. It was decided to ask information from butchers or others willing to supply sites for abattoirs, and that when the information was available a meeting of the two Committees be held.