FROZEN MEAT FOR AUSTRIA.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13908, 6 December 1910, Page 5

FROZEN MEAT FOR AUSTRIA.

SIR WILLIAM HALL-JONES'S VIEWS.

TEE TIME WILL COME

(mOU OUB CWH CORREBPOKDMTTS.) LONDON, October 21

Sir William Hail-Jones has returned from his visit to Vienna fully convinced that the International Refrigeration Congress will have a favourable influence in extending the market ior refrigerated produce. "There were nearly a thousand delegates present," he remarked to a representative of "The Press," "and the visit of that number of persons coming from ail parts ot the world to a country where the law practically prohibits tlie introduction of refrigerated foodstuits must go a long way towards bringing about a change in the existing condition of things. , "Personally, I think it is only a question of time when they will allow tlie unrestricted importation of foreign meat. We met the Ministers ot Agriculture and Commerce, the Burgomaster of Vienna (a sort of perpetual Lord Mayor), and other municipal authorities and the Chambers ot Commerce. Most of them I found were favourable to i oI our foodstuffs. The difficulty is opposition of the agricultural and pastoral provinces of Hungary and Bohemia There the feeling is very strong. AS an instance of this, I may say that a telegram from the Refrigeration Congress at Vienna to their confreres.at Buda I'esth was refused, by the latter because it was worded in German instead of Magyar. The food question in Austria is very severe, chiefly owing to tho fact that while the population has increased greatly the area of land in cultivation has not. Some of the great producing areas of course were added to Germany as the result of the war in the sixties." , Sir William was the mover ot the resolution athrmitig the *f »»W? °? opening the markets ot Austr«,Hungary to foreign supplies of meat. I tie motion was supported by Sir John Taverner and Sir T. B. Bobinson, and was carried. . , ~ At the opening ceremonies of the Congress. Mr Charles Charleton (president of the British Delegation), speaking on behalf of the Empire as a whole, stated that that Empire was quite capable of supplying Austria, and Germany with the meat supplies which their people so mucTi needed. COMMISSION THREE. The section in which the Dominions are particularly interested was known officially as Commission Three. Here -it was that Sir William tabled his motion, and here it was that anotlietr resolution was passed affirming that '•"frozen and chilled meats form human food the valuo of which is equal to that" of fresh killed meats wherever artificial cold has been applied to healthy meat with the aid of all desirable modern improvements in its use.'* A Russian member of the Council, Dr. yon Cramm, presided over the section in the absence of the president, who a+ the moment was with a deputation in England. The Opposition of the Hungarian delegates was led by a ferocious old gentleman with great vehemence. The motion, as before stated, was carried, and as the delegates dispersed for the afternoon the news arrived that the Austrian Government, in response to a striking popular demonstration a few days earlier, had decided to allow a small trial shipment of 35 tons of frozen meat from tbe Argentine. On the following day the BritishColonial delegates were allowed the floor for an hour and a-half despite* the determined efforts of the Hungarian deputies to raise a point of order.

The ball opened when Sir William Hall-Jones moved: —"In the opinion of this Congress, subject to every reasonable regulation to ensure sound and perfect condition, the introduction of chilled or frozen meats and other food products into countries whose- inhabitants would benefit by this addition to their food supplies is desirable." Sir William made-what is described as a "diplomatic and moderate speech," in the course of which he opened the eyes of the European delegates by remarking that his country, with only on© million inhabitants, annually exported refrigerated food to the value of 150,000,000 crowns. Sir John Taverner spoke of the prejudices which had been overcome m England and insisted that the desire of i the oversea States of Great Britain was to furnish supplies of foodstuffs which would be complementary and not competitive. , , ~ . Sir Thomas Robinson suggested that the different governments should cooperate in modifying existing restrictions, and after a speech by the. Argentine Ambassador, it was unanimous y decided that the whole matter should be referred to a conference to be held in Paris next year. , . . „ - There was a resolution about coldrtored horse-flesh, but as noowW admitted to knowing much about it ttio remit was sent down for another section of the Congress to wrestle with. The Council was re-elected Sir William Hall-Jones being named as representative of New Zealand in _ succession to Mr Pember Reeves. Sir was also elected a vice-president, mc New Zealand representative was one or tho two British delegates who conveyed the tbanks of the delegates to the Austrian hosts. The next conference will be held in the United States two years hence.