§ *COLONEL SANDYS (Lancashire, S.W., Bootle) moved the Second Reading of this Bill, which, he said, concerned materially the Bootle Division, which he represented. At present the cattle intended to supply the meat market in Liverpool were landed on the east side of the river Mersey, and the cattle, after being taken from the steamers, had to be driven through the streets to the cattle market, situated at Stanley, between four and five miles distant. The residents there would be glad to have the market removed. What was proposed was that the cattle market, slaughter-houses, and lairages for cattle should be built on a site in Bootle which was not residential, and where all the arrangements would be on the most approved modern system. At present the abattoir was situated in the centre of Liverpool; and after the cattle were driven for four or five miles for the purpose of being sold, they had to be driven back to the centre of the great city to be slaughtered. The death-rate in the district surrounding the abattoir was estimated to exceed by 30 per cent, the death-rate of any other part of the city. There had been a large hospital recently constructed in Liverpool upon the best models, and the medical men in attendance there had for a long time been agitating for the removal of the slaughterhouse from that place in the interests of the health of the community. It was also the desire of the municipal authorities, and of the Borough of Bootle, and it was on public grounds, that he pressed the desirability of the Second Reading. Possibly shareholders in the Abattoir Company might be somewhat prejudiced by action of this kind, but he ventured to think that the public interest must first be considered.
§ MR. W. F. LAWRENCE (Liverpool, Abercromby)asked if, when the Bill 1555 went before a Committee, it was intended to give a locus standi to the Liverpool Public Abattoir Company and the Liverpool and District Butchers' Association?
§ *COLONKL T. M. SANDYSsaid, he was not prepared to answer the question, but he would do all he could to further the views of the hon. Member.
§ MR. LAWRENCEsaid, he was surprised at the hon. Member's answer. He understood that on the notices issued it had been stated that there would be no objection to the locus standi.
§ *COLONEL SANDYSsaid, it had been pointed out to him that it had been so stated in the notices, and, therefore, no objection could be taken.
§ MR. LAWRENCEwas obliged to the hon. Member for the concession. A few days ago he had presented a Petition against the Bill representing something like 700 or 800 butchers in Liverpool and the neighbourhood, whose interests would be very seriously jeopardised by this Bill. This was not a market merely for meat, but for hay and other things. If it were wished to start a market and buy his clients out, they would on general terms fall in with the idea. What they submitted was, that a great public concern like a large market ought to be in the hands of the Corporations of the towns, and that it was not desirable, as a rule, that a private venture should undertake to supply the public with markets such as these. The proposed new market was situated in the north end of Liverpool, and would by no means adequately serve the whole of Liverpool as the present central markets did, and owing to the distance the butchers would have to order a great deal of their meat without seeing it. The consumer would assuredly suffer by the middleman having to run that extra risk and expense. If it could be said that the present abattoir rather favoured the butchers, it could certainly be said that the future abattoir would unduly favour the mere dealers; and he thought that was another reason why these great markets should be in the hands of the local authorities. As their locus standi had been so reasonably conceded he would no longer insist upon the Motion which stood in his name that the Bill be read a second time this day six months.
§ MR. T. SNAPE (Lancashire, S.E., Heywood)said, the hon. Member had stated that he represented a number of butchers in his Division, but the interests of the community were much more important than the interests of a particular trade. The abattoir at present was was within less than five minutes walk from the University College, the Royal Infirmary, the Lying-in-Hospital, the Liverpool Workhouse, and Workhouse Hospital, and was, therefore, in a very dangerous position for the public health, and though a section of butchers might oppose the Bill, there was no question that the greater number of the voters in the Abercromby Division were in favour of the Bill before the House. The Lord Mayor of Liverpool had told the Butchers' Association that the site was objectionable on the grounds of public health.
§ SIR J. BADEN-POWELL (Liverpool, Kirkdale)said, the Bill was brought forward because it was necessary to bring the matter before Parliament, but the best place for considering the details of the Bill was in the Committee. He hoped the Bill would pass its Second Reading without further comment.
§ Bill read 2° and committed.