LOCAL GOVERNMENT NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6496, 27 May 1899, Page 4

LOCAL GOVERNMENT NOTES.

ABATTOIRS FOR CHRISTCHURCH AND SUBURBS. After reading the number of cases of diseased animals slaughtered at the Dunedin Abattoirs, quoted by Councillor Samuels at the last meeting of the City Council, when speaking in support of his motion regarding the establishment of public abattoirs for the city, no one will question the urgency of establishing with the least possible delay this important institution ; but the thought that will naturally arise in most people's minds, is, why delay the establishment of this very necessary institution for the passing of an amending Act ? Surely the same power that enabled Dunedin to build abattoirs, and enables the little city of Nelson to set about the construction of this institution, will empower Christchurch to do the same. The need of it has been amply demonstrated by the truly-alarming figures as to the number of diseased animals slaughtered at Burnside. Of 2666 beasts, the following had been condemned: — 266 cattle, 168 sheep, 9 lambs, 19 pigs, and 31 calves, in all 493 animals declared unfit for human consumption. ' As Councillor Samuels pointed out, the people of the Southern City eat no more meat than the residents of this district do, so the elements of risk to life and health are the same. Yet we find our Mayor excusing the Council for not doing anything, on the ground that the Council could not compel the slaughtering of all beasts for human consumption at the city abattoirs. Unless this could be done, he said, the institution would only be a costly monument. A pretty sentiment, truly, t" come from the Mayor of the home of democracy in New Zealand, which Christchurch is supposed to be. Human life and health set at naught when property is at stake! But why should it be a costly monument ? Let the city, St Albans, Linwood, Woolston, and Sydenham, come together on this matter. For either Woolston with one shop, Linwood with six shops, St Albans with two shops, or even Sydenham with its nine butchers' •, shops, exclusive of the Chrisfcchurch Meat Company's shop, to go in for public abattoirs, might indeed prove a costly undertaking; but were these districts to combine with Christchurch, and have one abattoir for the slaughter of all the meat for the supply of the eighteen shops in the districts referred to, and of the twenty-three shops in Christchurch, forty-one in all "[this is exclusive of the Meat Company's shops), there is little doubt that the tolls would at least recoup the city for the .outlay. The people will naturally ask,. seeing that the abattoirs in Dunedin have, proved a success, why all this nervousness on the part of the Council over establishing abattoirs? If they make inquiries, they> will find it all arises out of the fact that there exists a small, monopoly in the meat trade, and that this little monopoly has secured the exclusive services of a Government inspector, by paying his salary, by which this company is enabled to display a notice that all meat sold has been killed under Government inspection. But let us examine the strength of this so-called monopoly. It has one shop in Sydenham, and five shops in the city, six shops, as against forty-one of all others; and this is the. sole ground for the excuse' made by our. City Fathers for not proceed- ! ing to erect public abattoirs, which would not only place all meat killed for food under expert and independent inspection, but would relieve the small trading butchers from, an unfair competition.