Ths question of public abattoirs for the county was discussed at the last meet ing of the Borough Council^ and a deputation was appointed to interview the County Council on the subject not so much perhaps of having a central slaughterhouse for the county, as of securing some sort of arrangement under whic'i the community could be assured that the meat killed for human consumption, was free from disease and fit for human food. The deputation attended, but the interview did not take place, the Council being busy with other matters, and the time of the deputation limited. A deputation of butchers, however, succeeded in getting audience, and suggested the raising of the annnai license fee for slaughter houses to £5. This, they urged, would tend to confine butchering to legitimate business, and would prevent any trade in inferior meat. They also pointed out that to withdraw the licenses from the butchers who now had well built and properly arranged slaughterhouses ] and yards would mean a losa to those tradesmen of hundreds of pounds. The Chairman pointed out that the licenses for slaughterhouses had just been issued, and could not be interfered with I until the expiration of the term which the licenses covered. And .the matter < was held over until a future meeting. We hardly think tha Act under which the County Council is constituted is so cast iron in its provisions, as regards licenses of any kind that the Council is empowered to grant, that these cannot be revoked should the Council decide to

establish public abattoirs. The Council' built Digby's bridge, and now renounces' all liability in regard to the mainten- j ance of Rawles' crossing, Similarly we take it, if a central establishment for killing the meat for the people's food be established—and established, as it would be, to give a responsible authority control of the inspection of the meat killed for human food—it would do away with the necessity for the existence of small slaughter yards,. 