The licensed cow-sheds, 33 in number—viz., 17 in the North and 16 in the
South district—have been regularly inspected. Your Vestry, after a
careful consideration of the subject, and after making enquiries as to
the practice adopted in other districts, have adopted a standard of
capacity to be complied with in respect of cow-sheds, viz., an allowance
of 800 cubic feet of space for each cow, no height of shed above 16 feet
to be reckoned in the computation of cubic space; each single stall to be
4 feet, and a double stall for two cows, 7½ feet in width. It is to be
desired that steps should be taken to obtain powers to frame bye-laws for
regulating the structure of cow sheds, the same as slaughter-houses.
Great improvements are necessary in many of the cow-sheds; some of the
sheds are, in fact, ill-adapted for the purpose, and in the category I
would include those that are not open to the roof—being, in fact,
imperfectly ventilated stables. The importance of properly
constructed—which means well drained, well paved, well lighted, and well
ventilated—cow-sheds, is becoming better understood every year, and
events to which reference has already been made (p. 10 _ante_) are likely
to give an impetus in the direction of bringing cow sheds under much more
strict supervision, as to construction and management than heretofore.
It is not uncommon to hear complaints of offensive smells from cow-sheds,
even where the premises are very well kept, and where the smell is really
not greater than must needs be expected, regard being had to the number
of cows kept, and the removal of manure, &c. Should cow-sheds become the
subject of legislation, and precise regulation thereunder, it would be
desirable to provide for a notice being posted, outside the premises,
some days before the annual licensing day, the same as is done in the
case of public-houses, and as ought to be done in respect of
slaughter-houses, so that householders in the vicinity might, if
necessary, attend and show cause against the renewal of the license.