1920.] The Humane SiiAUOHTER of Animals. 707 



was not being maintaiiiecl. In these circumstances, it was to 

 be regretted that, on its own merits, this argument could not be 

 accepted. The claim had also been made that imported stores 

 would mean better and more beef and the advantage of the 

 offals and subsidiary occupations. With regard to better beef,, 

 that was open to argument, but with regard to the other points 

 there was, of course, nothing to prevent the importation of 

 Canadian cattle for immediate slaughter at the ports, which 

 would increase the supply of fresh meat and secure the other 

 advantages referred to. The statement that Canadian stores 

 could be imported economically in competition with the home 

 article was, in any case, open to considerable doubt. Apart, 

 how^ever, from these considerations, the main point to be 

 realised was that the existing embargo could only be removed 

 by fresh legislation, and there w^as little chance, under 

 present circumstances, of Parliament giving its consent to any 

 such measure. With regard to the Imperial aspect of the 

 question, this had been taken up by the Canadian Government, 

 but though no one could be more anxious than he, not merely 

 to maintain, but to strengthen the ties which bound Cane da to 

 the x^lother Country, it w^ould not really help matters to qratify 

 Western Canadian sentiment at the expense of injuring and 

 antagonising the British farmer. 



Aitei the. most careful and impartial consideration he felt 

 bound to agree that, in view of the risk involved, the best 

 possible security was that same moat which had surrounded 

 these Islands and protected them from every kind of invader, 

 including disease, for so many centuries, and he regretted to- 

 have to say that, in his judgment, the arguments that had been 

 put forward, in favour of removing the existing safeguards, 

 were far outweighed by the gravity of the objections w^hich 

 would be uroed bv the other side. 



The Ministry desires to impress upon all concerned the 

 importance of ensuring that animals are slaughtered in a 



„ humane manner. Since the Commission, 



The Humane i,- u ^ at- • ^ £ k • ^ 



S'au hte^ of ^^'^'^^ which the present Minister oi Agricul- 

 laug ^^^^^ presided, sat in 1904, there has been 

 a steady awakening of the public conscience 

 and a definite improvement in methods of slaughter, but there 

 is still room for improvement, and the efforts of associations thit 

 seek to deal with the matter have not availed to introduce into 

 this country the abattoir system which prevails on the Continent 



