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47
SLAUGHTER-HOUSES.
There are two slaughter-houses in the district, one being
licensed and one registered.
During the year, 188 inspections of slaughter-houses were
made.
The tables given under Food Supply give the particulars of
the inspections.
The quarterly limewashing of these premises has on all
occasions been carried out as required. Neither of the present
slaughter-houses can be looked upon as desirable premises to
carry on the trade for which they are used, both being adjacent to
property, very dark, badly ventilated premises with none of the
necessary modern equipments of slaughter-houses. The supervision
of these premises takes up a considerable amount of time,
being nearly two miles apart, and more time is taken up than
should be, on account of the irregular and even unreasonable
times of slaughtering. This is the greatest objection to
private slaughter-houses. If an occupier had to give notice
before slaughtering, a great deal of time and anxiety might be
saved. At present the occupier of a private slaughter-house can
commence slaughtering at any unreasonable hour, such as Sundays
and at night-time, to suit his own convenience. If a clause could
be inserted in the Local Government Slaughter-house Bye-Laws
restricting the hours of slaughtering to, say, between 6 a.m. and
9 p.m. (unless by special permission), and the owner or occupier
not allowed to remove a carcase of any animal from his slaughterhouse
for a period of at least six hours after slaughter, great
assistance would be rendered towards efficient inspection.
The only proper solution of this difficulty is the compulsory
slaughter of all animals in a public slaughter-house, or abbatoir,
but this, of course, would be of little avail unless carried out in
every district, and is a step which is very necessary, the occupiers
of the private slaughter-houses, however, should be compensated
according to length of establishment, etc., for the loss of their
present legal privilege.