The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-14 00:00:00

THE METROPOLITAN CATTLE MARKET.

Mr. RIIDKIN moved the adoption of reports from the
Markets Committee recommending the construction of ad-
ditional bullock lairs at the Metropolitan Cattle-market, at
the estimated expense of £6,000, and that the sum allowed
to the committee on account of their expenses be increased
to£3oo per annum. He admitted that financially the Cope-
nhagen Cattle-market had been a failure to the Corporation,
the average loss since its opening being about £5,000 per
annum, but he had every reason to believe that at the end
of this year—certainly at the end of next—that loss would
be turned into a profit. The increased accommodation at
the lairs had been rendered necessary because of the great
increase which had taken place during the last half-year in
the number of beasts and sheep sent to the market. By the
outlay of the £6,000 about 650 additional beasts could' be
accommodated. Heretofore there were no fewer than 11
exits and entrances to the bullock lairs and 4 to the sheep
lairs, and by these means frauds wero easily perpetrated,
but in future such frauds would be effectually guarded
against, because their exits and entrances would be reduced
to one of each description of lairs. The receipts for the
past half-year for the lairs showed an increase of £1,522
over the previous half-year. He was happy to state that
the undesirability of driving large numbers of animals
through the public streets of the metropolis had baen duly
considered by the Markets Committee, and that they were
of opinion that public abbatoirs at Copenhagen-market
might be advantageously conducted. They had expended
for this purpose about £540 in horses, &c., and their re-
ceipts showed a profit on their expenditure. They had
slaughtered in the first week somewhere about 40 beasts,
and in the last week 278.

Mr. WOODLEY opposed the report, and moved that it be
not received.

Mr. Deputy DE JERSEY apprehended that a great deal of

cattle would in future be slaughtered in the country, and,
if that were so, then there would be a decrease in the
quantity of lairage required at Coponhagen-market.
Mr. RUDKIN observed that the number of cattle coming
to the market was not likely to diminish.
The discussion was continued by Mr. Harris, Mr. Ban-
nister, Mr. Lusher, Mr. MGeorge, Mr. Dresser Rogers,
and Mr. Medwin.

Mr. H. L. TAYLOR said the question was a most import-
ant one, and that when the corporation were asked to lay
out thousands of pounds they ought to know what the ex-
penditure was for. He was willing to believe that the
Markets Committee had well considered their report of
that day. Sure he was that there was no other committee
of the corporation which had greater responsibility thrown
upon it, and that responsibility had been greatly height-
ened by the fact that they had a failing concern cast upon
them. He believed that much of. that failure was owing
to the lowness of the charges made by the corporation for
the accommodation afforded at the market.

Mr. KING moved as an amendment " That that part o
the recommendation which proposed to increase the allow
ance to the committee bo• struck out."

Mr. Jom RICHARDSON seconded this amendment.

Mr. Deputy ELLIOTT, in supporting it, thought the
committee ought not to have tacked on their paltry eating
and drinking allowance to a recommendation for expending.
£6,000 upon the lairs. The gravamen of the recommenda-
tion was £6,000, whereas the addition was an unhappy
and untradesmanlike way of doing business. He found on
looking over the account of the committee ,that half their
eating and drinking during the half past year was taken at
one dose. (A laugh.) Their bill at the Albion, for instance,
was £26 13s. ; at the Lamb, £2 Os. 6d. ; at the Brunswick,
£44 4s. 6d. ; at the Black Lion, £lO ; at the Black Lion
again, £2 14s. ; and then they expended at one swoop at
an entertainment on board the Maria Wood, £126 19s.
(Loud laughter.) There was, therefore, an injudicious
expenditure of £126 in one day, whereas had they acted
properly, they might from time to time have had due and
proper nourishment at every one of their meetings. It
was this enormous expenditure for frolicsome refreshment
out of doors which did more injury to the corporation than
anything else.

Mr. FRICKER said he had been so constantly in the habit
of seeing Mr. Deputy Ellioi,t throwing mud and dirt at the
committees of the corporation that the present attack upon
the Markets Committee occasioned him no surprise ; and
yet, if the worthy Deputy would consider for a moment, he
surely could not expect the committee to stand for a whole
winter's day in a public market without receiving some re-
freshment at the expense of the corporation.

Mr. RuiKIN defended the committee, observing that
during 12 weeks they had held no fewer than 33 meetings.
The Court divided, when there appeared—For the origi-
nal motion, 98 ; against it, 31—majority in its favour, 67.