The licensed slaughter-houses—49 in number—viz., 28 in the North Sanitary
District, and 21 in the South, have been duly inspected. In my last
annual report I gave some account of the Slaughter Houses (Metropolis)
Act, 1874, under which the Metropolitan Board of Works, as the “local
authority,” were empowered to frame bye-laws, for regulating the conduct
of the business of a slaughterer of cattle, and the structure of the
premises in which the business is carried on. As it was impossible to
get the bye-laws framed and confirmed by the Local Government Board
previous to the annual licensing day in the month of October (as a matter
of fact they were not confirmed until the 27th of May in the present
year), your Vestry, on the recommendation of the Sanitary Committee,
unanimously resolved that certain conditions were essential in order to
fit a slaughter-house for the business, and decided to oppose the renewal
of licenses in every case that did not come up to the standard. The
conditions were as follows:
1. A slaughter-house should have an independent entrance, so that the
cattle may not have to pass through the house or shop; and it should be
at a reasonable distance from other buildings, particularly inhabited
houses.
2. It should be open to the roof; or, at least, should have no
inhabited rooms over it.
3. It should be well ventilated and properly lighted, so that the
slaughtering may be done, as it always should be, with closed doors.
4. It should have walls and floor of smooth and impervious
materials—the flooring being laid on concrete.
5. It should be well drained, with stone ware pipes, and the drains
should be permanently trapped.
6. It should have attached to it ample and separate lairage,
constructed with a due regard to sanitary and other requirements.
7. It should be effectually separated from any lair, stable, dung-pit,
w.c., &c., so that the meat may not be exposed to any offensive
effluvia.
8. It should be of adequate size, and should not be used for any other
purpose than that for which it is licensed, and particularly it should
not be used as a stable, a lair, or a cow-shed.
Upon viewing the several slaughter-houses by this standard, so many were
found defective in one or other respect that it was thought best to give
the formal notice of opposition required by the Act, in every case, but
your Clerk and myself were directed to oppose the renewal of the license
in those cases only that did not come up to the standard. We did this,
but the justices overruled our objection in every case, on the ground
that the premises, however faulty, had been licensed in former years, and
time must be allowed to put them in proper order. At the same time, the
justices gave the assembled licensees notice that at the next licensing
day (in October of the current year, namely) they would not renew the
license in any case that was not up to the standard. With reference to
the decision of the magistrates, and the ground on which it was based, it
is, perhaps, hardly necessary for me to state the fact, so well known
already, that the existing slaughter-houses, were, without exception,
licensed before I entered upon the duties of my appointment, and that the
reason your Vestry did not oppose the renewal of the licenses in either
of the subsequent years was that, in common with myself, you believed
that the private slaughter-houses would be finally closed in 1874, under
the operation of the Building Act, 1844. It only remains to add that the
slaughter-houses will now have to be judged by the standard of the
bye-laws; and it may therefore be useful to state in what respect the
bye-laws differ—either in excess or defect—from the standard adopted by
your Vestry in 1874. As regards new slaughter-houses, the requirements
of the “local authority” are fully up to that standard; and, as regards
existing slaughter-houses, the only material differences between the
bye-laws and the standard relate to the points dealt with in clauses 1
and 6 (_supra_). The bye-laws do _not_ require that a slaughter-house
shall have an independent entrance, or be at all removed from other
buildings; and they do _not_ require provision to be made for housing
cattle previous to slaughtering; but it is enacted that no animal shall
be detained on the “premises” for a longer time than “absolutely
necessary” previous to slaughtering, and that the “slaughter-house”
(which is only a part of the “premises”) shall not be used for “any other
purpose than that for which it is licensed,” viz., killing. It follows,
then, that the slaughter-house itself may not be used as a lair, and the
question arises—Where shall the animals be kept, if there be no lairage?
It appears to me that the existence of lairage is assumed, and that the
absence of this necessary accommodation would form a reasonable cause for
opposition even under the bye-laws. But whether this is so or not, I
venture to think that your Vestry would be fairly entitled to oppose the
renewal of a license in the case of premises so obviously defective, and
that you would be fully justified in taking the opinion of the justices
as to the suitability of premises for a slaughter-house to which there is
no access save through a butcher’s shop or dwelling-house.
(The Vestry subsequently adopted these views. I here subjoin a synopsis
of the bye-laws, which I have prepared for the guidance of the Sanitary
Inspectors.)
OBJECTS OF THE BYE LAWS:—To regulate the conduct of the business of a
slaughterer of cattle, and the structure of the premises on which such
business is carried on, and the mode in which application is to be made
for sanction to establish such business anew.
DEFINITIONS.—The Metropolitan Board of Works, as the “Local Authority,”
is styled the “Board.” “The premises” include the Slaughter House and
all the premises used for the business of a slaughterer of cattle. The
“Slaughter House” means the portion of the premises used for the
slaughtering and dressing of cattle. The “Occupier” means the occupier
of premises where the business of a slaughterer of cattle is carried on;
and “Slaughterer of cattle” means a person whose business it is to kill
any kind of cattle for the purpose of its flesh being used as Butchers’
meat.
BYE-LAWS AS TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE PREMISES, (Nos. 15 to 21
inclusive.)—The slaughter house to be well paved with asphalte or
flagstone set in cement, laid with a proper slope and channel towards a
gulley, and effectually drained by an adequate drain of glazed pipes
communicating with the public sewer. The gulley to be trapped by an
appropriate trap and covered with a grating, the bars of which to be not
more than ⅜ of an inch apart (16).
The inner walls of the Slaughter House to be covered with hard, smooth
impervious material, to the height of four feet at the least, and to be
always kept clean, and in good order, and repair (17).
No room or loft to be built by owner or occupier over any Slaughter House
(20).
An adequate tank or other proper receptacle for water and water supply to
be provided, and so placed that the bottom of the same shall not be less
than 6 feet above the floor level (15).
The Slaughter House to be well and thoroughly ventilated (15).
No water closet, privy, cesspool, urinal, or stable to be within, or to
communicate directly with the Slaughter House (19).
The occupier to cause all needful works and repairs to the premises to be
forthwith done and executed, as and when the same shall become requisite,
and not to make any alteration in respect of the paving, drainage,
ventilation, or water supply, to, or in the premises, without the consent
of the “Board” (18).
PENALTIES.—For breach of any of the bye-laws, 15 to 20 inclusive, whether
by omission, commission, or neglect, £5; and in the case of a continuing
offence, the sum of £1 for every day during which such offence is
continued after a conviction for the first offence (21).
BYE-LAWS AS TO THE CONDUCT OF THE BUSINESS NOS. 1 to 14 INCLUSIVE:—The
inner walls of the Slaughter House to be always kept clean and in good
order and repair; and the internal surface of the roof and upper portions
of the walls to be washed with quick-lime at least once in every three
months (6).
The Slaughter House to be thoroughly washed and cleansed within three
hours after the slaughtering is completed (7).
A sufficient number of tubs, boxes, or vessels, formed out of proper
non-absorbent materials, with tight and close fitting covers thereto, to
be provided for the purpose of receiving and carrying away all manure,
garbage, offal and filth, and these products to be placed in the tubs,
&c., immediately after the killing and dressing of any cattle. Blood to
be put into similar but separate tubs, &c., and all such tubs, &c., with
their contents to be removed from the premises within 24 hours (5).
The fat of any animal slaughtered to be kept freely exposed to the air
until its removal from the premises; and all such fat, and also hides,
skins, and tripes to be removed within 24 hours after the slaughtering is
completed (9). Carcase, bone, hide, skin, and all meat, fat, offal,
blood, garbage, and other articles, to be removed before the same have
become putrid or offensive (10).
Every covered and other receptacle used in the Slaughter House to be kept
cleansed and purified so as to avoid any offensive smell (8).
Cattle not to be kept in the “premises” except for the time absolutely
necessary previous to slaughter (1). The Slaughter House not to be used
for any purpose other than that for which it is licensed; and
slaughtering not to be conducted within public view (4).
No animal that is not intended or fit for human food to be slaughtered in
the premises (1); and if any diseased cattle should be brought to the
Slaughter House, the occupier to give information thereof, forthwith, to
the “Board,” and to the cattle inspector for the district, with all
particulars in his knowledge as to where, from whom, and from what place
it was received (11).
No fowl, pig, or other animal used for human food (except cattle about to
be slaughtered), and no dog to be kept in or about the premises (2).
No room situated over the Slaughter House to be inhabited under any
pretence whatsoever (3).
All persons lawfully entitled to admission to have free access to the
premises during the times of slaughter and at all reasonable hours (12).
PENALTIES.—For breach of any of the Bye-laws, 1 to 12 inclusive, whether
by omission, commission, or neglect, £3; and in the case of a continuing
offence, £1 for every day during which such offence is continued after a
conviction for the first offence; and every Court of Summary
Jurisdiction, having Jurisdiction to hear and decide complaints of the
breach of the Bye-laws, may by Summary Order suspend or deprive any
occupier of a Slaughter House altogether of the right of carrying on any
such business, as a penalty for the breach of any one of these Bye-laws
(13–14).
AS TO THE MODE IN WHICH APPLICATION IS TO BE MADE FOR SANCTION TO
ESTABLISH ANEW THE BUSINESS OF A SLAUGHTERER OF CATTLE.—THE APPLICANT to
furnish the “Board” with a plan of the premises and sections of the
building in which it is proposed to carry on such business, drawn to a
scale of a quarter of an inch to the foot, and showing the provision
made, or proposed to be made, for the drainage, lighting, ventilation,
and water supply of the same; and also to furnish a key plan of the
locality, showing the buildings and streets within 100 yards of the
premises, drawn to a scale of five feet to the mile (22).
_Notes_.—It is required that the Slaughter House, in respect of
structure, be brought into conformity forthwith with the Bye-laws (15 to
20); when this has been done, the Bye-laws, (1 to 12), which relate to
the conduct of the business, will principally engage attention. The
points to which attention will have more especially to be given are those
that apply to—