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public, and unfortunately in some cases succeeded, that it was a
matter that concerned the people at large and the people's pockets.
As the result, Dr. Brewer, M.P., brought a bill before Parliament
to repeal this Act, which at the second reading was referred to a
Select Committee. I am given to understand that this committee
have recommended the repeal of the clause relating to slaughterers
of cattle and sheep, and in addition to many other recommendations,
they suggest that with regard to all other businesses that may be
called noxious, they should not be banished from the Metropolis
unless a case of nuisance can be established against them. Your
Vestry agreed to petition in favor of Dr. Brewer's " Metropolitan
Buildings Act Amendment Bill."
I feel, therefore, that inasmuch as from the first I have given
the Bill of Dr. Brewer my most unqualified opposition, it is my duty
to lay before you the reasons why I have been compelled to do so.
This Act was passed in 1844; the census returns show that the population
of the Metropolis in 1871 is almost double what it was in 1841.
(1841, population 1,948,417—1871, population 3,251,814). If,
therefore, in 1843, with a comparatively small population, this bill
was necessary, a fortiori it is necessary in 1873. But it will be said
true, but with sanitary improvements and our complete system of
inspection, they have ceased to be the nuisances in 1873 that they
were in 1843. To that I reply I am convinced that, though the
slaughter-houses are better conducted than they were, they are now
as ever, and nothing can make them other than atrocious nuisances.
On this I write strongly, for I am convinced that no one who is
familiar, as I happen to be, with the slaughter-houses of London,
can have an honest doubt but that they are so. The number of our
inspectors is totally inadequate to carry on the complete supervision
these slaughter-houses require. Indeed, nothing less than an
inspector for each house would meet the difficulty. The great
facilities, not merely for slaughtering diseased animals, but for
disposing of the unwholesome meat when it is slaughtered in the
private slaughter-houses, must be self evident; and it is practically
impossible, because of their large number scattered amongst a
population of more than three millions, to suggest any means
whatsoever to carry on that complete inspection of meat sold
and consumed by all, and be it remembered, by the poor especially,