View report page

12
within the metropolis, there is only one paragraph which mentions the
inconvenience the public suffer by the existence of private slaughter-houses.
This paragraph is as follows: "Your Committee are far from saying that
certain advantages would not arise from the abolition of private slaughterhouses.
One advantage would be that it would not be necessary to drive
cattle through the streets, but any such advantages appear to be slight,
when compared with the evils which would attend the abolition of
Slaughter-houses, in the absence of thoroughly sufficient substitutes."
Now, the providing of thoroughly sufficient substitutes, is what the
highest authorities on sanitary science demand ; aud when such eminent
men as Mr. Simon, Dr. Letheby, and Dr. Stevenson, gave evidence before
the Select Committee of the House of Commons, on noxious businesses
during the last session of Parliament, to the effect that private slaughterhouses
in confined situations, arc nuisances, and therefore, should be abolished
in the metropolis; such evidence is certainly entitled to receive the highest
consideration.
Much has been said about the improvement of the condition of
private slaughter-houses in London, which has taken place since 1844, but
the same remark applies to the houses of the poor, and the streets generally
and especially as regards the water supply. It is, therefore, not a sufficient
argument to use in favor of the continuance of a nuisance,that because it is
not so bad as it was formerly, it should, therefore, be allowed to continue.
Slaughter-houses should be tolerated only in open spaces, and there
should be a wide road way surrounding them: they should be thoroughly
ventilated, and the use of all slaughter-houses not so arranged, should be
prohibited. The want of efficient ventilation in the existing slaughterhouses,
the danger to the public by the driving of the animals through the
crowded thoroughfares, together with the cruelty which is practised in
getting the animals into the slaughter-houses, and the nuisance which is
inseparable from all slaughter-houses, and especially from those situated in
main thoroughfares, are, in my opinion, strong reasons for prohibiting their
use for a longer time than is absolutely necessary; but when to these
reasons there are added the facilities which private slaughter-houses afford
for killing diseased animals, I think I have said sufficient to show, that,
in the interests of the public, private slaughter-houses in London should
be abolished.
As the arguments which are set forth in the Butchers' Memorial, in
favour of the continuance of private slaughter-houses have been fully
answered in my report which was last year presented to the Board, and
ordered to be printed, I need not further pursue the subject.
I am,
Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
JOHN LIDDLE.
15, Great Aiie Street.