METHODS OF SLAUGHTERING.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 227, 25 October 1929, Page 8

METHODS OF SLAUGHTERING.

A. E. D. SMITH.

(To tlie Eclitor;. Sir, — I hope you will allow me to tliank Mr A. F. Adams for his courageous protest at the cruelty he witnessed. in tbe Napier abattoirs. I am indeed glad to, at last, hcar the truth ahout that institution. When I tried to start a campaign for liumane slaughter several years ago, I was assured that no oue, however sensitive they inight be, could possibly find fault with the metiiods of slaughter in the Napier abattoirs Of course 1 know reformers aro always an ' umnitigated nuisanee tiying to upset the okl coinfortably estabTished order of things. When I read tlie manager's report on the subject, 1 reniarked tliat it all sounded too good to be true. Indeed I found m y sympathies veering away from the animals to be killed there to the poor luunan beings doomed to die a lingering death in their beds, when they might be so skilfully and expeditiously pithed out in tlie abattoirs. Now we hear tbe facts* of tho ease, from one who, being a slaughterman liimself, cannot be aecnsed of jjrojudice or undue scntiment ahout tlie matter With all my licart T tliank hiiu. Of course, heing accustomed to the pith as an instrument of execution, skilful and certain in its nse, lie may not be quite ready to agree witli me that it needs superseding. He may indeed uover have heard of the latest method of slaughter, hy means of a stnall gun placecl against' the foreliead of the animal — very simple and easv to use. It is no new experinient, having heen tested and tried tlioroughly and invariahly adopted. In aJmost every country. in Europe it has been tlie only metliod of slaughter t'or very many years. At the tiine 1 mado the effort to get it introduced into Napier, it had just heen tested and adopted by tlie Londoti County Council. The manager of the Carlisle abattoirs is an enthusiastie, advocate for its use and lias used it exclusively for 30 years Surely a sufficient trial to convince any reasonahle mind of its superiority to tbe pith. It must be acknowledged that it takes time and rnuelt practice in the use of this implement to safeguard the animal from much torture. There is no trniniug. Boys start in to practice on tlie animals from the start; and always there must he heginners. I much regret that the City Council was unable to restore to me the liumane slaughter implement I took with me when T made my appeal to them and wliich I left honing against hope that souietliing woukl he done to put it to the test " T was informed that nohodv knew what had hecome of it. Tt must have fallen through a craek in the floor — or something. T suppose. I would most gladiy iniport, anotlier oue if AL Adams woukl undertake to put it to the test. T was told tliat no ammunition to fit tliem was proeurahle in tbis eonntry; hut that eannot he true a15 T hear they are in nse for killing liorsos. T hope Mr Adams will peria it me to send him some literature u oon the suhjoct. Tlianking you for nllowitig me to express mv grathude to him for his courage in speaking out against this cruelty.— T am, ete.,

Napier. Oeb. 23. 1929,