3

1.—12b.

A. GADSBY.

abattoirs instead of by the companies, the butchers will have their offal conserved to them?— Exactly. 26. lion. Mr. Duncan.] What you mean is that you wish abattoirs established in Wellington similar to the abattoirs established in Christchurch?—Yes. 27. Then, these companies who sell meat in Wellington would have to come under the provisions of the Slaughtering and Inspection Act, and would have to pay accordingly to the Corporation so much per head?— Yes. That would be for all meat for local consumption. 28. You think that if abattoirs were established by the Corporation you would, be better off with regard to your offal than if the killing was done by either of the companies?— Most decidedly. 29. Mr. Lawry.] How do you work up your by-products now?—l have a boiling-down plant. 30. Mr. Kirkbride.] I would like to ask you how the cattle and sheep are being slaughtered now. Do you do it at your own slaughterhouse?— Yes; lam a wholesale and retail butcher. 31. You said, "If we are to have inspection let us have abattoirs." Is there no inspection now ?—There is inspection at the present time at the companies' works, but not at any of the other slaughterhouses. 32. Is there not inspection at your slaughterhouse?— No. 33. Do not the large companies, the Meat-export Company especially, slaughter at the present time for any of the small butchers of Wellington '( —l think they do occasionally, but it is only occasionally. They do not do it at a general rule. It may be an odd lot. 34. They kill at so much per head ?—Yes. 35. Do you know what their charges are? —In 1900 it was advertised in the local papers as 3s. per head for bullocks. 36. Is not the charge per head for slaughtering at the Meat-export Company's works in Wellington very much less than the charges in Christchurch. I —l know they have advertised their prices a great deal, but I have seen an account which did not come out according to the prices advertised. 37. I mention this because I believe the Wellington Meat-export Company offer to do the slaughtering at about half the price charged at the public abattoirs in Christchurch? —Possibly that may be so; but I have known their charges to be much higher than the prices advertised. 38. You said you would lose a considerable quantity of your offal: what do you mean by that ?—I mean that I shall lose sight of my plucks and runners, and my heads would not be taken into account—my sheep's heads and bullocks' heads—and then I should lose my boiling-down. 39. Would you not lose these in the public abattoirs?—No, 1 do not think so. 40. Do you anticipate that you would lose any of this offal at the public abattoirs?—No, I do not. 41. Well, I cannot see the difference. If the Wellington Meat-export Company, for instance, is made the abattoirs for Wellington—if they have these powers delegated to them —I cannot see why you would not be allowed for your offal just the same as at a public abattoir ?—Well, that is not the case at present, and I conclude they will continue in the same course they are pursuing now if these powers were delegated to them. 42. Would you. very much prefer your present method of killing to having public abattoirs erected here? —I think I should. 43. Do you object to these companies—-the Gear Company and the other companies—slaughtering for butchers in Wellington ? Do you object to that?—No, Ido not object to that. 44. You say you are a wholesale and retail butcher; do you slaughter for yourself and others? —Yes. 45. You are a carcase-butcher? —Yes. 46. Do you slaughter without inspection?— Yes, sir. 47. Do you slaughter as many bullocks as the Gear Company or the Wellington Meat-export Company? —Oh, no; but the Banks Company and the combined small butchers slaughter a number about equal to the number slaughtered by the Wellington Meat-export Company. 48. And they all kill without inspection?—l believe they do. 49. Hon. Mr. Pitt.] What is the distance from Wellington to your slaughterhouse?— About eleven miles. 50. Well, as far as I can see, if this Bill is passed it will not alter your position ?—Oh, yes, for my Wellington trade only; not for my Hutt trade. 51. Section 15 of the principal Act says, " In lieu of itself establishing an abattoir, the local authority or authorities, with the exception of the local authorities respectively of the Cities of Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland, and the Borough of Invercargill, and any local authorities within a radius of eight miles of the aforesaid cities and borough, may delegate to any fit person or persons the power to establish the same upon such terms and conditions as, with the previous approval of the Minister, are agreed on." That is the Act of 1900. Now, this present Act merely includes Wellington, Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland, and Invercargill, and boroughs within eight miles of these centres. Now, you say you are eleven miles away?— That is so. 52. Hon. the Chairman.] But you could not sell in Wellington? —No, unless meat killed at an abattoir. 53. Hon. Mr. Pitt.] You cannot sell in Wellington now?—Oh, yes. 54. Hon. the Chairman.] If the abattoirs were established, which would be the most convenient place, in your opinion, for the whole of the District of Wellington?—l have not any place to recommend. 55. With respect to the offal and heads, and so on, do the large companies now take all the heads and offal ?—The greater part. 56. Everything connected with the head—the tongue, and so on?—No; not the tongue nor the heart.