LOCAL MEAT SUPPLIES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15465, 9 March 1921, Page 8

LOCAL MEAT SUPPLIES.

ivonoruir AimroißT MASTER BUTCHERS PROTECT AGAINST RE' OPENENO. ( The Poverty liav Master Butchers’ Industrial Union of Employers 'do not approve' of tho suggestion to re-open the muneipal abaltoiVs. This, viewpoint was demonstrated m n letter to the Borough Council, received last evening, as follows: ‘Tie • "municipal abattoirs, —I am requested' to inform you that at a meeting of the union, at which all master.,butchers Were represented, a motiblT/vais passed unanimously protesting against the proposal of I lie Council to re-open the municipal abattoirs. The reasons' are: This unsatisfactory position and the state of (lie abattoirs, the exorbitant coat of killing, carting, etc. —■ Respectfully, yours, \V. 11, Wcstbroolcb, secy.” The Board of Trade (prices investigation tribunal), writing from Auckland, to the Borough Council, under, date 25th February, acknowledged receipt of the Council's letter in respect to meat prices, and advised that this matter would be a subject of investigation- by ibe several tribunals •throughout New Eealand. it wils probable, the letter slated, that the Auckland provincial tribunal would visit Gisborne at 'an carlv date. CONDITION OF THE M/vAT. The Health Inspector (Dr. \Y. B. -Mercer), writing to l|ie Council in reference to the meat killed at the Kaiti Freezing Works for local consumption, in a letter received by the -Council stated that according to a report received by bim from’ the local inspector the latter laid had to seize and destroy carcases of mutton. The local inspector's report in regard to one particular carcase proved, in the writer’s opinion, that some very careless butchering 'whs .being carried on by the butchers at tile' freezing works’ which did. the killing ot Incut for local consiuiiptipri. He (Dr. .Mercer) therefore Urgently .recommend: yd'the Council to take ‘prompt’; actioh in this" matter, -wdiiclr was becoming a serious one 1 for the health of? trie Borough and suburbs? “'He furth'er recorri; mended that the local"'abattoirs bp ' put into commission at once, and'that local butchers do their killing there lender supervision, or that, failing this, a. competent person be appointed by tho ‘Council to inspect- all meat killed at the freezing iwb'iks before removal to the butchers’ shops. ‘ ' Dr. Mercer mentioned that lie was asking the _u-ector-Geheral ‘of Health to expedite, if possible, through the Department of Agriculture, tfie relit ting and re-opening of the Borough abattoirs. " , A copy of a telegram dcSpdtehed in reply was produced by the Town Clerk, as follows: "Killing now undertaken three- times weekly. Butchers now have to, receive meat day after a killing. Little chance meat going bad! 3 ’ A telegram despatched under the sumo date by Dr. Mercer recommended' that l lie inspector observes the meat; killed at freezing works' biif'dvct Tembval; bv the butchers; to which' the reply as sent by - the Town suggested that, to obviate friction with the Age ricußural Department, the inspection' be carried out as the meat wits taken from the delivery earls. . A later telegram from tho Health Inspector questioned whether the method suggested iwould ensure inspect tion of all meat killed at the freezing works before removal, Tho inspector coiumcnledo that he could not understand ’why the inspection -of 'tlio meat at Hid" freezing works should cause friction.'' Cr. Hill commented oh tho high price and the quality of some of the meat supplied, and said the public 'had.. to be' protected. ' Cr. Kane said he did not know, how the butchers kept going at all during the hot weather. He had known of people who had .received'.' meat beloul standard, but when informed the bu(| ( her conccr/icd remedied the defpcl. Or. Moifat said, that the butchers should be thanked .for the Id a lb do) crease in prices they,had made. .Stock .was down 50 per ceiit. Cr. Hill: I would remind the Council that the local butchers proriiised the Board of Trade that /when the priefa of stock fell the price of meat would be accordingly reduced. .... f The Mayor: YVe have advice saying that the Board of Trade will be coming here soon. ; ; Cr. Hill: "Yes, and so will Christinas." i RETORT ON ABATTOIRS. In accordance with instructions, Mr ,J. Dunlop, former manager of the •abattoirs, made a report as to the repairs necessary to the works prepara'tory to their re-opening. Ho stated: “.Externally the building appears in first class order with the exception that the woodwork portion requires painting. If the abattoirs is to be corfducted by a stall working oti the same system as formerly, certain pertinences will be required, such" as now .skinning knives; new grindstone, a supply of at least half a ton of lime for treatment of tripe, and two Yield'■ heavy, galvanised iron ' buckets. Considering the period (4 years) in which the works have been closed, ! found the premises, generally speaking, in fa, very satisfactory state of repair, the most serious damage being .that caused by the action of the sea on the outlet ,ut the drainage pipe from' the/ works. .Other minor repairs will (be required, ),ul the majority of these matters could be attended to by the Council's staff and the staff, of tlii> works in slack.’ time. Tho hiogt: costly of the .minor items in connection with the opening of the abattoirs (presuming same to be commenced) .will be the replacement of ‘ the Tubs detailed hereunder, and repairs to Wiilirtgs and gates. "Personally, 1 do not 'feel inclined to give estimates of the cost of such works as "are - recommended by me, as I am not conversant; with tlie pulse of these particular markets at the present time, but I would 1 suggest that- - prices for the woodwork could lie obtained from building bontr'ddt’ors.■ I am /willing to point out, to those desiring to know, the work’ for which the price would be asked, and-will;'attend tiie’’works for that purpose.’’ Ho went/ on to describe the building and surroundings in detail, and • the various requirements. A long and animated discussion then ensued oil the question of re-opening of the Borough abattoirs. Cr. Coleman, in moving that ' the abattoirs be re-opened, added to 4 bis motion, ‘‘that the necessary-work should be proceeded with at once, and that v lieu the work is sufficiently far advanced . give notice to the'butchers of their-intention to open the "abattoirs;’’ He referred to tho revelations made regarding • meat for'local; consumption, and he said it was unnecessary for him To add further remarks. _ ""• ' • Cr. Mill said he would like to know m lmt. was behind it all. The butchers had blamed the freezing works for tlie .condition of the meat, and now they imposed tlie opening of the They wore inconsistent. Or. Mount, in seconding tho" motion, said the letter from The Mercer was sufficient- indication of the need for tlie re-opening of tho abattoirs, and the sooner tlie meat was killed under the supervision of the Council; it would be for the benefit of'tlm public. 'Cr. DeCosta: Will Wo get cheaper meat? Cr. Mount:. I don’t know, but we will gel better meat. The Mavor: It may cost more to kill ' at the abattoirs, but I think" the publjjc . interest should bo served first.' ;-. - I 1 ill mu

Cr, DeLosth': ’ ' The ' buftbers don’t want the a-bhltuiis/ open; the. public want /.heap meat, and now that meat is being slaughtered three, times a week the public will get good meat. Cr. Coleman : It is not what the butchers want; it is what the public wants. Cr. DeCosta ; If , the butchers have to entail expense at tlie re-ojftcitihg of the abattoirs,. tlie price- of''meat will not go down. ' '

Cr. Hill: It was h bad day for Gisborne when the abattoirs closed down. I am prepared To go by ,wliut Dr. Mercer said; amTam convinced now that the abattoirs should bo reopened. Cr. Oolomni): You 'seconded ibe proposal that thby should close down, if 1 remember’ rightly, 1 oi '- - Cr. Hill (heatedly); Never in your Ike: no, never!" » I Cr. Mirlidd: But you did, Cr. Hill. 1 Cr. Hill : IV I did it was because 1 was misled by tlie man in' the street. ; Cr. DeCosta * their produced the new scale of prices decided upon by thejßutchers’ Association on Monday, i Cr. ’ Mciual (picking up a list); Yee, ‘'this is ti beauty—reductions of iu .jd and |ld in some cases. Cr. DeCosta is using jit to bolster up his- ease for the butjcliers. It is a farce; they call these i-rediietiotis, aiid they expect us to be jblinded by them. ! Cr. DeCosta: They were given to me; jl did not get them. <■ Cr. Lawless: The Board of Trade muring now been communicated with, -should their investigations. (Brices are fixed'- by tlfo butchers, and they are not'tho'right authorities. The abattoirs being re-opened would' increase the cost of meat; aiid for that reason 1 will not support tlie-motion. Cr. Motiat: What’wo want is good, healthy incut. CY. Coleman: What difference is'TOd ja head goiifg to make? i Cr. Lawless: It will mean ail increase, ! As an amendment, Cr; Kane moved That the consideration of re-opening of abattoirs should be 1 'deferred in the meantime. Perhaps Dr. Mercer had not the full information (When he wrote to the Council. •• Cr; Lawless: I will second the amendment,. Cr. Mirfield: Can the Health Officer compel the Council -to re-open the abattoirs? ’ •' ■■ Tlie Mayor: No; but the Meat Inspector, Mr. Brooinc, favored tlie reopening. The question to.'Yie considered was whether the -best, interests of the public would be served, in re-opening the abattoirs. -■ •• Or; Mouat: Look at the decrease in tho price of stock, such a decrease-as to allow a'substantial reduction'in the retail prices. It would , astonish the Council and the: public- if I gave you the facts about the method of killing the meat. - Cr. Robertson: I will support,, the. motion ;■ it will mean that we will get better meat. - -The Mayor said tile conditions would ■.bo belter, .as the abattoirs by-laws provided for killing daily, and, further, that all stock had to he in tho yards • twelve hours before killing, and twelve hours after killing. r - Or. Lawless: But surely there is not one law for the -works and another for the abattoirs? Cr. Hill: It is a State complaint .we IW ' C - THE MOTION CAIUHEiD. Further discussion ensued until- 11 o'clock; when the'motion was put and carried’ by six votes •to' three. Crs. Kane, DeCosta, and Lawless voted against' tlie motion. ; Jn Ijis report to the council, tlie engi'neer stated: In further reference to Mr. Dunlopis report and supplementary thereto, I submit- hereunder approximate 'estimates of the cost’ 'Of the works as ’proposed by Mr. Dutriop’s seriatim: InYule of building, £3O ; j gates and fences, £100; cooling and slaughtering chain_b'ef, netting,’£3o; cooliiig aiid slaughterprig chamber, painting 'ironwork, £2O; ilcoolihg"and slaughtering, hew tubs, etc., ,£35; slaughter pen,- £5; offal room, ’£10; sheep-and pig pens" nud roofing same, £2CO; cattle pens (paragraph 1), £3O; paragraph 2. £SO; paragraph 3, ££C; paragraph "4, £3O; outlet pipe, '£2so; sand drift, £10; sheep yards, £3O; contingencies, say,' £l2ototal for immediate use, £1000; painting and .renovation of, cottages, say, £4CO: total -liability, £I4OO.