View report page

38
Meat.
Public Health (Meat) Regulations, 1924.—These Regulations
came into force in April, 1925. They were based on the
recommendations of the Departmental Committee on Meat Inspection,
and were designed to secure more adequate inspection
of animals slaughtered, and improvements in the handling, transport
and distribution of meat.
Part I. contains definitions, power of entry, and also a
clause forbidding any person who is suffering from an infectious
disease from taking part in slaughtering or the handling of meat.
Part II. sets out the rules to be observed in slaughtering
and in slaughterhouses.
Part III. relates to the marking of meat, and empowers
the Local Authority to adopt a stamp to mark meat after inspection.
Part IV. relates to meat stalls, and' the measures to be
taken to protect meat from contamination by flies, dirti, etc.
Part V. sets out sanitary requirements for effecting the
cleanliness of meat shops and stores and protection of the meat
from contamination.
Part VI. contains provisions for the observance of cleanliness
in the transport of meat by hand or in a vehicle.
The provisions of these regulations were made known to
all the traders in the Borough concerned. Unfortunately, the
regulations were not very definitely worded, which rendered their
enforcement far from an easy matter, and' the position was
rendered still more difficult by a circular issued by the Ministry
of Health in June, in which it was stated that it was not contemplated
that the provision relating to the protection of meat
from flies, etc., should be construed as requiring all butchers'
shops to be provided with glass fronts. This announcement
naturally had the effect of nullifying to a great extent our efforts
to effect an improvement in the conditions under which meat is
sold. However, the Regulations were effective in giving publicity
to the subject, and the majority of the traders in the Borough are