View report page

197
1874; it is desirable, nevertheless, that private slaughterhouses
should give place to public abattoirs, and that the dead
meat trade should be encouraged to the utmost . It would be
well, moreover, looking at the matter from a public-health
point of view, could facilities be increased for bringing consumers
into direct relations with the importers of frozen meat
—mutton especially. This meat, excellent in quality and
condition, is often sold by retail dealers at the price of English
meat, to which, so far as my experience goes, it is in no way
inferior.
The licensed premises are systematically visited by the
several Inspectors, although, as it is scarcely necessary to
mention, your Vestry have no statutory right of control over
the slaughter-houses ; the position of " local authority " for
all London (the City excepted) having been vested by the
Legislature in the Metropolitan Board of Works. It is desirable
that this Board should be a local authority for making
regulations, so as to secure uniformity for the whole
Metropolis, but the Sanitary Authorities should have concurrent
powers to enable them to enforce the provisions of the regulations.
The business of a slaughterer of cattle has not been
established anew in Kensington since the passing of the Act.
The number cf private slaughter-houses in the Metropolis,
which in 1874 was 1,429, had fallen, in October, 1887, to 74'2.
Few businesses have been established anew during the thirteen
years the Act has been in operation. Sanction was granted in
two cases in 1887.
COWSHEDS.
The licensed cowsheds are 13 in number; 8 in North
Kensington, and 5 in South Kensington. The names of the