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62
water, and recover from the owner of the property the cost
thereby incurred. The Vestry concurred in this suggestion.
COWSHEDS, DAIRIES, AND SLAUGHTER HOUSES.
There are now no cowsheds in the Parish, and only two
slaughter houses.
The licensing of slaughter houses in the Metropolis has
passed, by the Local Government Act, 1888, from the local
Justices to the London County Council, and at the annual
Petty Sessions in October for the renewal of the licences, the
Vestry called attention to this fact, and asked the Justices to
intimate to the licensees that they might expect their licences
now to lapse. It may not be inopportune to recall the fact
that as far back as 1844 Parliament expressed an opinion
adversely to the continuance of slaughter houses in the
Metropolis, and enacted that they should absolutely cease 30
years later. Eleven years afterwards slaughter houses were
placed under sanitary supervision, and held subject to an
annual licence, and on the approach of the limit specified in
the Act of 1844, a further Act was passed placing existing
slaughter houses under stricter regulations, and prohibiting
the establishment of such places anew, except under such
conditions as are prohibitory, so far, at least, as central
London is concerned.
The Vestry are of opinion that the transfer of the licensing
of slaughter houses from Justices of the Peace to a popularly
elected body would be an opportune time to abolish all
slaughter houses which now exist in contiguity to dwellings,
especially in crowded neighbourhoods. The Vestry communicated
these views to the Metropolitan Board of Works,
in order that they might be placed before the London
County Council when the latter fully entered upon their
duties.