Day 217 - 09 02 96 - Page 45

 
 

                                                                  DAY 217
 
 
 
 
 
     1   Q.   Do you agree with Mr. Bone that he is two or three feet
     2        away from the apron wash and the sterilizer at the foot of
     3        the legging and transfer platform?
     4        A.  No.  It is about two or three metres, rather than two
     5        or three feet.
     6
     7   Q.   Mrs. Hovi, none of us -- his Lordship is what matters --
     8        have been to this abattoir, nor have the Defendants.  It is
     9        not a big, swanky, well spaced out, modern abattoir, is it?
    10        A.  No.
    11
    12   Q.   It is small, rather cramped, a bit dark; yes?
    13        A.  It is not particularly cramped, but it is quite dark.
    14
    15   Q.   You say that brown man by the bleed hoist is two or three
    16        metres from the apron wash?
    17        A.  That is right, yes.
    18
    19   Q.   The apron wash has a sterilizer beside it, has it not?
    20        A.  Yes.
    21
    22   Q.   An apron wash enables you not just to wash your apron, but
    23        your hands as well?
    24        A.  Yes.
    25
    26   Q.   Why did you tell us last time that that man had no facility
    27        for washing his hands or his instrument?
    28        A.  He did not use that facility.  It was too far from him
    29        with the speed of -- the working speed he was going at.
    30
    31   Q.   You told us last time, Mrs. Hovi, that the only one
    32        accessible to him was up on the transfer platform which was
    33        eight feet above the ground.  Do you remember saying that?
    34        A.  No, I do not remember saying that.
    35
    36   Q.   Very well.  My Lord, everybody has this, apart perhaps from
    37        the witness, who ought perhaps to have it now.  My Lord, it
    38        is 30th March of last year; for the Defendants' own
    39        benefit, day 111, at page 29, starting at page 14.
    40
    41        Mrs. Hovi, I preface this by making sure I have your
    42        evidence clear.  You say that from stunning to bleeding
    43        there are two men involved, or were when you were there; is
    44        that right?
    45        A.  Yes, that is right.
    46
    47   Q.   A man who stuns the animal, puts down the captive bolt
    48        pistol, descends the steps, shackles the beast, piths it,
    49        then goes and gets a knife and makes an incision through
    50        the skin? 
    51        A.  He has a knife on his belt. 
    52 
    53   Q.   I see.  At that point, his task ends and he presumably goes
    54        back to -----
    55        A.  And stuns another animal, yes.
    56
    57   Q.   You say then there is a second man who comes and actually
    58        sticks the animal, so that it bleeds?
    59        A.  Yes.  Not at the same point; he works at a different
    60        point.
 
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