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48. Cow-Sheds.—The Cow-sheds have been properly inspected,
and suggestions made for their improvement.
49. Slaughter-houses.—The Justices declined to grant the
licences for the period of a year, in the expectation that Parliament
would deal with the question in a definitive way in the present session.
As the action of Parliament will be known, in all probability,
before this Report can be in the hands of the Board, it would be
inexpedient for me to occupy space in dilating on the evils of the
present system of private slaughtering; but I may express the hope
that such a pernicious practice will be abolished. Under a wellarranged
system of public abattoirs, with proper inspection and
responsible administration, the public would have adequate security
against the slaughtering of diseased animals, and the offensive fouling
of the drains by the offal and refuse. At the same time there can
be no doubt that meat would become cheaper, as it has been in
Edinburgh, Berlin, and other towns where the system of public
abattoirs has been adopted.
50. Bake-houses.—No complaint has been made of these during
the year, and the Regulations of your Board have been fairly carried out.
51. Bad Food.—The following list includes all the articles that
have been seized during the year. This part of the duties of the
Inspectors is of the greatest advantage to the public, inasmuch as
the seizures, although not frequent, act as a deterrent to unscrupulous
dealers, who are rarely caught a second time committing
the offence.