LICENSED COW-SHEDS.
The licensed cow-sheds, 33 in number—viz., 17 in the North and 16 in the South district—have been regularly inspected. Your Vestry, after a careful consideration of the subject, and after making enquiries as to the practice adopted in other districts, have adopted a standard of capacity to be complied with in respect of cow-sheds, viz., an allowance of 800 cubic feet of space for each cow, no height of shed above 16 feet to be reckoned in the computation of cubic space; each single stall to be 4 feet, and a double stall for two cows, 7½ feet in width. It is to be desired that steps should be taken to obtain powers to frame bye-laws for regulating the structure of cow sheds, the same as slaughter-houses. Great improvements are necessary in many of the cow-sheds; some of the sheds are, in fact, ill-adapted for the purpose, and in the category I would include those that are not open to the roof—being, in fact, imperfectly ventilated stables. The importance of properly constructed—which means well drained, well paved, well lighted, and well ventilated—cow-sheds, is becoming better understood every year, and events to which reference has already been made (p. 10 ante) are likely to give an impetus in the direction of bringing cow sheds under much more strict supervision, as to construction and management than heretofore. It is not uncommon to hear complaints of offensive smells from cow-sheds, even where the premises are very well kept, and where the smell is really not greater than must needs be expected, regard being had to the number of cows kept, and the removal of manure, &c. Should cow-sheds become the subject of legislation, and precise regulation thereunder, it would be desirable to provide for a notice being posted, outside the premises, some days before the annual licensing day, the same as is done in the case of public-houses, and as ought to be done in respect of slaughter-houses, so that householders in the vicinity might, if necessary, attend and show cause against the renewal of the license.