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39
MEAT.
Slaughter Houses.— These are licensed annually by the London County Council in the month
of October and the five Kensington licences granted in 1925 were renewed in 1926. These premises
are kept in a cleanly condition, and from a structural point of view are not open to objection. During
the year over 1,000 pigs were killed in the slaughterhouse in Walmer Road and the licence in respect
of the premises was renewed by the London County Council in October, subject to the same conditions
as in the previous year, namely, that the premises be not used for the purpose of slaughtering on
more than twenty Sundays in the year, that slaughtering on Sundays be carried out in the forenoon
only, that the licensee do inform the Council of the Royal Borough of Kensington on the previous
day when he intends to slaughter animals on a Sunday, and that on week-days cattle be slaughtered
between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. in the months of May, June, July, August and September,
and between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., during the remainder of the year.
By-laws prescribing humane slaughtering came into operation in London during 1924, and
approved methods have been adopted at each of the slaughterhouses in the Borough. The
Council's Food Inspector makes frequent inspections to satisfy himself that these humane methods
of slaughtering are applied satisfactorily.
Public Health (Meat) Regulations, 1924.—These Regulations provide that no person may
slaughter any animal without first giving verbal or written notice to the Council of his intention.
Upon receipt of such notice, the Council's Food Inspector attends during the slaughtering process
whether by day or night, and examines all carcases immediately afterwards. During the year
three hundred and twenty-six slaughterhouse inspections were made.

The Regulations prescribe for the protection of meat from contamination by dirt and flies in
shops, on stalls and during transit. The administration of this requirement has been rendered
somewhat difficult owing to the various interpretations which could be placed upon the Regulations
dealing with this matter. The Ministry of Health issued a Circular in 1925, which stated that the
provision of glass fronts to butchers' shops in all cases was not contemplated, and that the precautions
which it would be reasonable to require under the Regulations must depend on the
circumstances of individual cases. Speaking generally, the Council have every reason to feel
satisfied with the way in which butchers have responded to the demands made upon them.
Of the 124 butchers' shops within the Borough 120 have been provided with glass fronts, whilst
in the four shops remaining precautions have been taken which would probably satisfy the
Magistrates that the Regulations have been adequately observed; at the present time there is not
one shop in the Borough where the Council could, with any prospect of success, issue a summons
for non-compliance with the Regulations.
It should, however, be pointed out that in many cases the glass fronts are kept open at times of
the day when trade does not require this. It is significant that in the better-class areas in the
Borough it is usual for the windows to be kept closed at all times, probably because traders recognise
that the customers in their areas appreciate the necessity of care being taken to keep meat free
from contamination. With the advance of public opinion on the question of clean food, it is hoped