THE ABATTOIR DISTRICT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 294, 21 January 1910, Page 7

THE ABATTOIR DISTRICT.

A good deal of correspondence is passing between the Agricultural Depaitmciit and the Taranaki County Council in reference to tne Council s to enter into ail agreement witii the New Plymouth Borough Council for the extension of the boundaries of the abattoir district. Mr. F. S. I'ope, Secretary tor Agriculture, has written under date i-uh .lanliarv: "1 have the honor to inloini you thai ill the face of sections 15 ail.l lli of the. Slaughtering and Inspection Act I am at a loss to understand your Council's contention that there is no power lor it to enter into an agreement witii the borough of Xew Plymouth, or for the Hon. Minister of Agriculture to extend the abattoir district for a distance of three miles from the borough boundaries. 1' shall be glad to hear the reasons of your contention. I may mention tluit the Minister has already exeicised the powers laid down in the Act mi two occasions. The question of his doing -ii in connection with the New f'lyiiioul.h abattoir will shortly be considered."' , The county clerk has repied: Section 15 states', inter alia, "that an abattoir established by a local authority may i u the prescribed manner be made available for the purposes of the district nf another local authority. Section IB states . . "The Minister may authorise that an abattoir aireadv established shall be available for the purposes of such contiguous district/ [You will notice that the word 'district' is used, and not like section 7. which ; uses'the words "any specified part, of its district.' If you refer to the interpretation clause you will see that 'district in defined as "the district under the jurisdiction of the local authority.' Therefore my Council maintains that the agreement cannot legally be entered into for any specified part of the district as suggested by the Borough Council, but' must to over the whole of this county, which would be unreasonable."