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14
SLAUGHTER-HOUSES.
In the course of the inspection of the Slaughter-houses
which was made in October by myself and the Inspector of
Nuisances, for the purpose of opposing or recommending
the granting of the licences by the Magistrates at
the Quarter Sessions, your Medical Officer observed that
but few of the premises already licensed were applied
to the use for which they were intended, and for
which the license was obtained; most of them being used
as stables or lumber sheds,—so that the witholding of the
assistance of the Vestry to obtain a license, if it were deemed
requisite, would be injurious to the individual but to a
trifling extent, if, in fact, it would be so at all.
It does not appear, however, that it would be for the public
advantage that the continuation of a license for premises of the
kind should be, in ordinary cases, discouraged ; because as
long as they are designated as Slaughter-houses, and so
licensed, they are placed under the supervision of the local
authority ; whereas, if unlicensed, the occasional or periodical
visits of the Inspector of Nuisances would be avoided and the
places lost sight of, except they were complained of as
productive of nuisance, or injury to health.
The conversion of old premises into Slaughter-houses
appears to be an impossibility if the terms of the Statute
are observed, and in most instances the erection of new ones
would be attended with much difficulty. The Metropolitan
Building Act of 1844 prohibits, in very clear terms, the
introduction of any addition to the number of Slaughter-houses
except under conditions with regard to distance from a
dwelling-house or a public highway, which almost amounts
to a total prohibition. The 55th clause in the Act is
so important and peremptory, and at the same time satisfactory
in diminishing responsibility, that I have transcribed
a portion of it for insertion in this Report, the Act itself
being extensive.