The Abattoirs Question.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 11726, 29 July 1901, Page 2

The Abattoirs Question.

SPECIAL MEETING OF BOROUGH

COUNCIL. A special meeting of the Borough Council was held at 10 o'clock on Monday morning for the purpose of considering'a report of the Works Committee on the question of the selection of a site for public abattoirs. Present: The Miyor, Mr E. Dockrill (chairman), Messrs J. B. Connett, W.F. Brooking) C. Carter, G. Tisch, T. Veale, F. Stohr, W. A. Collis, M. Clow, and A;, Lealand.

The Mayor informed the meeting that the Council had been* called together to consider a recommendation re public abattoirs that the committee had to make. He moved that the Council go into Committee to consider the report, which was at present partly of a confidential nature as regards the price of the land. Mr Collis said he had petitions to pnt in concerning the establishment of abattoirs, and he asked if this was the proper time to do so.

The Mayor said it would be better to wait till the Council resumed. . ..

The motion to go into Committee was then carried. The Town Clerk read all the correspondence that had, from time to time, been placed before the Council on the question at issue. He also react, their solicitor's legal opinion on the matter. Mr Samuel, the Borough solicitor, in igivpg a legal opinion on the whole question of public abattoirs concluded his opinion as follows: — "However, considering that The Slaughtering' and Inspection. Act, 1900, explicitly casts op the Borpngh Council the duty for the^ performance of which it is essential than an abattoir should be established, and that in order to establish an abattoir land must be acquired by the. Borough, J am of opinion jhat, after the approval of the Minister has been obtained df the proposed site, the Council may take the requisite land under the .provisions of i'The Public Works Act IBHX ; /■ . ■; ■, The Town Clerk th,en read the follow* ing report of the Works Committee :— The Works Committed reported that a meeting was held; Present : Mr Brooking (chairman), the Mayor, Messrs Connett, and Stohr^>» The Committeerecomjnended i :. Abattoirs— The ; jCommittee having given full consideration 'to the report; of" the Government Veterinarians, visited the approved sites, conferred with the /Borough Solicitor, and made fall enquiries ceneraHjy make the following recommendations :— l. Tnat seclion 169, Him District,- ownied by Mr William Courtney, be selected as the site for the Boroagh ; Abattoirs, and that the Hon. Minister for Agrutoltpre be requested to approve this site ; ?2. Thataa the Cganoil has already ifgre^ftg Jay water maitai to Fi^zrdy, the watersopply -%e extegd^dto theta^attiors ;;'s." That on tHeapprbval of the- 'Hon.' Minister for Agriculture being obtained'the Borough Solicitor be instructed to take the necessary proceedings for acquiring the land- (76 acres) under the Public Works Act ; 4. That consent to the establishment of -the Abattoir on section. 159: Haa; District, be obtained from the ' Taranaki Cbunty Council, in accordance With section J. 4 (1) of the Slaughtering aad Inspection Act, i9oo;=- ■■ .■'■- ■••'•:■ ■■xv / .;T.-' ; ■

a There was another clause of the report referring to cable negotiations with Mr •Wk Gourtney (now in England), the owher;-6f the proposed site; .' as«to the price required, for the land. < Under the circumstances it was deemed- advisable not to publish the^terms of the*nego*dations at present; -><V;,- k ; %*A^ f ; ,- • Mr BixK)kinf, the ICnairman of the Works Ck>uimitteeV moved thev.«doptioa of the report ,^e weni fuUy into the J ip»tteri^r:-i'-- i vj^<v^\^ -r, ,s,, s , .v . Mr Stohr seconded the adoption of the) ■teport.'^.-.:.:.:^'; •; _ ( ; .. .■;:;,/ the otber members expressed their Opinions on the report. ; ' :-<: -<* '! : '-. '■' A * On^the Cooneil resuming, the report of the Works Committee was adopted, r

A PETITION.

Mr CoUis men read a petition -signed by over 100 burgesses of the BQroagh. The petition, in effect.was that in ti«w of tji expense, etc.,* of the erection of public abattpirs that the Borongh dde* « gate under the Act ih»ir powers to : some one or more of the proprietorstof the present ysUoghterhoiuseß. The ressoni were^etform. '-'';• '■tf/i'tZt^ ' '»■ \ . . The Mayor said that the Committed Were aware that such wad in circulation, and tharef ore obtained a re* '<port on j he present slaughterhouses from a Government officer.

The Town Clerk said a report had beea received from Mr A. Crabb, Government yet., reported- that none of the present slaughter-houses was suitable for public abattoirs. - " ; * Tlie Mayor said that the report met the petition. If the Borough did not. erect public abattoirs in 12 months the Government could take the power away from the Council and erect such works themselves: • . : . . l : Mr Connett pointed out that it was desirable that the Council should erect the worfcs and control them. Had some of these matters been atWnded to "a few fyears agp.the cost would have beea so heavy as it was now. \. r ; f T ' Mr Carter, in supporting Jthe erection *>f works >hy the Borough, asked wHen the , works would be erected. f * $he * - few details would have to be attended ; to, but h« could say. that all .possible expedition would now, be made with the o£ the works. ' "■■-.-'■ • -'•'>-">.,.. $he ; Towa Clerk' reader Crabb'* letter* which stated .that, in his opinion/ hone of the present slaughterhbnseß complied with the Act. ' "• Mr Brooking: What is to be done with the, petitiqn ? , v Mr ppftis said that a resolution should be 'passed as an answer to thepetitioners. Mr, Brooking moved. That the petition presented by Mr Collis be received, an'i that the petitioners be informed Oi»t several of the statemepta contaiDe^j j n the petition are at variance with t'ne reports of r , the GJovemmeit yets./ and as the sites of the "preseat slangh^rhouses have been rejected on inspection the Council cannot grant the request of the petitioners

The Mayor seconded, the motion, which was carried* • The Council row.