View report page

48
There is no alteration in the structure of the slaughter
houses to report.
The slaughterhouse in Cambridge Grove Road is used
irregularly and then only for a few animals on each
occasion. It is a wooden structure and judging by its age
it would appear to be a registered premises.
During the year the Slaughter of Animals Act 1933 was
passed and came into force on January 1st, 1934. So far
as this Borough is concerned, the Act was retrogressive
rather than progressive in one respect. For the past six
years the bylaws relating to slaughterhouses in the borough
required that all animals must be stunned by a mechanically
operated instrument previous to slaughter. The new Act
excluded certain animals from this requirement but provided
that such animals might be included by special resolution
of a local authority. The requisite resolution was duly
passed by the Corporation and ALL animals continue to be
humanely stunned in the slaughterhouses.
The Act also, for the first time, provided for licensing
of slaughtermen. Twelve applications were received of
which 9 were granted, 1 was withdrawn and 2 were not
granted. There is no provision in the Act for any condition
to be attached to licences and this gives rise to difficulty.
A man who may be quite satisfactory when handling small
animals is not always able to deal with beasts, but his
license to slaughter covers all animals. A further point is
that no provision has been made in the Act for apprentices
and learners. It is too soon, however, to urge for amendments
and further experience of the working of the Act
may indicate the appropriate remedies for apparent defects.
The spare gun kindly loaned to the Borough by the
R.S.P.C.A. has been used on several occasions when guns
belonging to butchers have been temporarily out of action.
Eight hundred and forty four visits were made to
slaughterhouses during the year,