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72
Public Slaughterhouses.—On the 30th November, 1898, Mr. Coggan, as
Chairman of the London Butchers' Trade Society, and Chairman of the Meat
Section of the London Chamber of Commerce, addressed the Vestry at the head of
a deputation in favour of the retention of private slaughterhouses in the Metropolis,
the London County Council having expressed the opinion that it is desirable as a
first step towards ensuring a proper inspection of meat that private slaughterhouses
should cease to exist in London.
There are about 400 or 450 slaughterhouses, and about 8000 or 9000 butchers
in the Metropolis. The London County Council have nothing to say against the
manner in which the private establishments are kept to-day. The only reason the
Council has for bringing forward the question of public slaughterhouses at this
time is for the better inspection of meat. The Deputation do not object to the
inspection of meat. Meat killed in private slaughterhouses, which is only about
five per cent. of the meat consumed in the Metropolis, needs inspection less than
any other, because only the finest beasts go to these places. Nine-tenths of the
animals killed in private slaughterhouses have to pass the Inspector at the
Islington Market, and all the other beasts have to pass the Inspectors in other
markets. Diseased animals come to London dead; they never find their way into
private slaughterhouses. The public slaughterhouses would probably cost the
London County Council about a million of money, and the cost of maintenance
would be great. The meat of animals killed in the public slaughterhouses, or sent
from a private place to a public inspection chamber, would be very likely to
seriously deteriorate in quality in transit, and would have a different appearance
altogether to home killed meat. If the private places are done away with, the
butchers might just as well buy the meat dead. A special class of Inspectors
might be appointed to inspect the animals killed in the private slaughterhouses.
He referred to the recent report of the Royal Commission on Tuberculosis, in
which it is stated that during the last twenty years whilst the consumption of meat
has been very great, tuberculosis amongst these persons who consume meat has
decreased twenty-five per cent. In Continental cities and America, where public
slaughterhouses have been established, he understands that the price of meat is
dearer than in the Metropolis, and at Brighton, Belfast, and other places where
abattoirs have been established, they are carried on at a loss. He asked the Vestry
not to support the Council in the abolition of properly conducted private slaughterhouses.
The Deputation then retired.
Your Vestry resolved "that the London County Council, the London Chamber
of Commerce, and the London Butchers" Trade Society, be informed that this
Vestry is in favour of the establishment of public slaughterhouses, but do not
desire to suppress properly conducted private slaughter houses."
In my Annual Report for the year 1895 (page 61 and following) the two
sides of this question were reviewed, and it is appropriate at this moment that
attention should be directed to the facts there set out for the purpose of reference.