As one interested in farming and cattle rearing, I want to give my views on this measure. For over 30 years I have been supplying cattle for slaughter in Dublin and I have had opportunities of seeing cattle slaughtered. Relatives and friends of mine were in the butchering trade and I had in that way opportunities of seeing everything in connection with the slaughter of animals. Like Senator Comyn, I would not agree that I have not as much sympathy and feeling for animals suffering from pain as any Senator in this House or as any person identified with the live stock industry. I have been in the habit of supplying 30 or 40 cattle a week to butchers supplying the Army in the Curragh. Butchers are all trained men at their business and I have seen them all my life at their business. Up to about 20 years ago the pole-axe was altogether in use. There was up to that time nothing at all known about the humane killer. I must say that in all my experience I have never seen one of the men wielding the pole-axe to make a mistake. They kill the beast in the most humane way, and before killing, the beast is brought into a passage, firmly secured, and everything is done in a proper way.
Personally I do not agree that the new improved method of killing by the humane killer is any improvement. At the same time I am of opinion that it should be kept on for partial use. I have seen the humane killer at use in the abattoir and slaughterhouses in Dublin and there it has a certain advantage. But in the commencement of its introduction I am aware that it led to accidents and that it injured men engaged in the slaughter. At the same time in the abattoir I approve of this new method and I think it is quite in order there. That is, however, different to making it compulsory throughout the country places and in the country towns and districts. In my view that would be a danger to and a hardship on the farming community. I would be sorry to see its use made compulsory. As I have said, in the abattoir here and in slaughterhouses where 1,200 cattle are killed in the course of a week I would agree that the humane killer should be used.
I also see that there is a new method of slaughtering sheep. There is no doubt that that has the effect of stunning the animal and that is an advantage. I would be in favour of the new method applied to the killing of pigs. To that extent I have no hesitation in agreeing with these new methods, and I would say that if possible they might be encouraged and approved of in certain places. But to make them compulsory throughout the whole country and to have it so that people would be liable to prosecution for using the pole-axe would be very prejudicial to those engaged in the trade and it should not be tolerated. It would be a distinct injury to the trade in connection with the slaughter of animals.
A good many people connected with the Humane Society say that there is a certain amount of inhumanity in people who slaughter animals. They say that they become insensible to the pain inflicted on the animal. They allege that there is want of feeling and inhumanity on the part of people engaged in slaughterhouses. Two or three years ago this matter came up here before and I brought on myself a certain amount of adverse criticism because of the opinions I held on this matter. This was given expression to in particular by the lady section of the Humane Society. I asked then that a deputation of these ladies should go down to the end of Grafton Street and come right along and see there in the shop windows the skins of animals that had been slaughtered and afterwards made into ladies' overcoats and furs. I asked those ladies to inquire then as to how these little animals were slaughtered and whether the slaughter was done with the humane killer. This would apply of course in the case of such animals as seals, foxes and other small animals of that kind. I told them that there was a grave question of cruelty in the slaughter of all these animals. I said also that if the ladies would understand it properly it was in most cases only a matter of painting the lily, for the ladies were quite good-looking and would look just as well without wearing the skins of these little animals.
These are my views and this is how I look at the matter. Apart from that I would be delighted to see everything in the way of the slaughter of animals carried out in the most humane manner possible. With regard to Section 1, sub-section (3) of the Bill where it is laid down that the animal preparatory to being slaughtered shall be provided with a sufficient quantity of wholesome water, I, like everyone else, will agree that is correct and very fair. However, I would point out that if you allow cattle or any beast to be full of food at the time of slaughter it will affect the quality of the meat. If cattle are allowed to have food for at least 24 or 36 hours previous to being slaughtered the result will be that the meat of that animal will not set. That is the expression used in the trade. If the cattle are slaughtered while quite empty and at the lowest possible temperature the meat will keep a week longer than if the cattle were slaughtered when full of food.
I would suggest that, before the Bill goes through this House, a committee representative of the farming industry and of those engaged in the slaughter of cattle and of the provision of meat supplies generally should be consulted. They represent an important section of the community. Naturally, their object is to make a success of their business and they can only do that by being able to offer the best class of article to the public and selling it under the best possible conditions. They should not be penalised by harsh legislation or by anything that would interfere with them in the carrying on of their business.
I think that some of the sections of this Bill go entirely too far. They propose to interfere too much with people in the conduct of their business. Those connected with the butchering business have gone to great expense and trouble to learn the best methods of carrying it on. I had two of my own sons taught the butchering business so that they might learn everything about meat. It has been stated that it is a cruel thing to allow other cattle to be present while an animal is being slaughtered; that they suffer a great deal from fear. I do not know if that is the case, but I do know that cattle have a great objection to the smell of blood and that it has the effect of making them get very excited and into a great temper. The smell of blood seems at times to make them almost mad. I have seen that happen sometimes in the open fields. I do not know that they are affected otherwise, except by the smell of blood. I agree that care ought to be taken to save animals from getting into that state. Care should also be taken that their temperature is at the lowest possible point at the time of slaughter. That can be brought about by not feeding them for 24 or 36 hours before they are slaughtered. As I said earlier, I think that those connected with the butchering trade should be consulted before the Bill is allowed to leave this House. Representatives of the trade should be able to put valuable suggestions before a committee of the House if one is set up to go into the matter. Legislation of this kind should not be passed hastily. People connected with the cattle and live-stock industry should have their views heard. It would be a foolish thing to adopt any other procedure in connection with the Bill. The members of the Humane Society are no doubt striving to do very good work. The objects of the society are commendable and everyone gives the members of it credit for their good intentions. Their activities have resulted in saving animals from a lot of cruelty that would otherwise take place. At the same time it would be a very serious thing for this House to pass a measure the effect of which would be calculated to interfere with one of our most important industries. Some of those connected with the Humane Society may be carried away more or less by an enthusiasm that is not exactly well placed. Therefore, I urge on the Seanad not to pass this Bill hastily because, in my opinion, it is open to a great many objections.
