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56
LICENSED SLAUGHTER-HOUSES.
Thirteen premises were licensed by the County Council in October—seven in North
Kensington and six in South Kensington. The names of the licensees and the localities of the
premises are set out below. The several premises were regularly visited by the sanitary
inspectors, and were inspected in July by the sanitary committee. The business of a slaughterer
of cattle has not been established anew in the borough since the passing of the Slaughter-houses
(Metropolis) Act, 1874, in which year there were 56 licensed premises. The number of
slaughter-houses in the metropolis, as a whole, has undergone a considerable diminution, viz.,
from 1,500 in 1874, to 397 in 1900. In the annual report for 1898 (pp. 98-102) I dealt with
the subject of "Abattoirs versus Private Slaughter-houses," in connection with an abortive
attempt by the Public Health Committee of the County Council to substitute public for private
slaughter-houses. The report of the committee (dated 21st July, 1898), containing the recommendation,
was shelved by the Council on a motion to proceed to the next business; to my
regret, as an advocate, for nearly 30 years, of public abattoirs. No further action in the matter
has since been taken. (Vide also page 81.)

LICENSED COW-HOUSES.
pour premises were licensed by the County Council in October—three in North Kensington,
and one in South Kensington. The names of the licensees and the localities of the
premises are set out below. The several premises were regularly visited by the sanitary
inspectors, and were inspected in July by the sanitary committee. There were only five cows in
the sheds; not many years ago there were 28 sheds, containing about 500 cows. There has been
a considerable reduction in the number of cow-houses in the Metropolis, as a whole; viz., from
1,044 in 1880, to 319 in 1900. The County Council have intimated to cowkeepers that the
Public Health Committee are of opinion that in the case of premises newly licensed the recommendation
of the Royal Commission on tuberculosis that no cow-shed should be erected within
100 feet of a dwelling-house should be observed. The Council can, of course, enforce this
condition. (Vide also page 81.)

BAKEHOUSES.
The bakehouses, to the number of 134, viz., 74 in North Kensington and 60 in South
Kensington, were regularly inspected, and action was taken, when necessary, to ensure compliance
with the sanitary provisions of the Factory and Workshop Acts, 1878 to 1895, and the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891. In the annual report for 1894 (pp. 152—166 inclusive), when treating
of the " regulation of bakehouses, " I described the proceedings of the County Council in the
effort to secure amendment of the law to enable the sanitary authority to exercise efficient control
over bakehouses. The Council were of opinion that the Factory and Workshops Bill, to be brought
in by the Government in 1895, would afford an opportunity for amending the law relating to bakehouses,
and the Public Health Committee of that body waited upon the President of the Local
Government Board to explain their views. The President said it was improbable that any clause
would be inserted in the proposed Bill dealing with London bakehouses, as the Bill would have
reference to the whole country, and he suggested that the Council itself should introduce a Bill.
In accordance with the committee's recommendation, the Parliamentary Committee was (in January,
1895) instructed to prepare a Bill in accordance with the Council's views, but no Bill was introduced.
One provision with reference to bakehouses is contained in the Factory and Workshop Act, 1895,
section 27(3), to the effect that " a place underground shall not be used as a bakehouse unless it is
so used at the commencement of this Act," i.e., at the beginning of the year 1896; but magisterial
rulings have made this provision inoperative. (Vide also page 82.)