BAN ON STATE CATTLE

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23748, 21 September 1942, Page 6

BAN ON STATE CATTLE

REMOVAL PLANNED HELPING FOOD SUPPLY (0.C.) SYDNEY, August 26. The Federal Government is determined to lift the ban on the sale of beef from the Melbourne Board of Works farm at Werribee, thereby sweeping away one of the most stupid and blatantly selfish restrictions ever placed on any Australian industry. The Werribee farm is a State experimental stock farm whicl#raises magnificent cattle, but seven years ago the Victorian Government of the day banned the sale of the beef because it was claimed the cattle were diseased. This relieved Victorian cattlemen of any fear of competition from a Stateowned concern.

When officers of the Federal Supply Department sought means of relieving the growing food shortage early this year, they remembered with delight the fat herds grazing at Werribee. Legislation was prepared to override the existing state ban and to utilise the cattle for commercial purposes. The bill went through the House of Representatives last May but was surprisingly thrown out by the Senate on the casting vote of the chairman (Senator Cunningham, Labour). Action of Senate The Senate’s action inspired Mr Richard Hughes, columnist for the “Sunday Telegraph” to write an article entitled “The Meddlesome Old Men of the Senate,” in which he held individuals of the Upper House up to ridicule. Senator Cunningham retaliated by banning all representatives of the “Sunday Telegraph” and "Daily Telegraph” from the precincts of Parliament House, an action which was later endorsed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The ban has not been lifted.

The Prime Minister, Mr Curtin, and th; Cabinet were annoyed -at the Senate’s action, and it is stated that Mr Curtin took Senator Cunningham severely to task for his part in the defeat of the Government’s plans. The Minister of Commerce (Mr J. Scully) has since been preparing a fresh bill, and he said this week that neither the Senate nor the Victorian Government would be allowed to hold up essential food production. Mr Scully inspected Werribee farm last Saturday, and he stated that the cattle there were the best he had seen in his life. The mortality from all causes was less than 1 per cent., which he believed was the lowest in Australia. The management had assured him that, when the farm was again fully stocked, it would supply 10,000 cattle a year. Mr Scully added: “Because of the ban, cattle from the farm are being boiled down and sold as fertiliser and poultry feed. With the food position as it is, this is criminal waste.” He said that all of the 32 Melbourne municipal councils and the Victorian Housewives’ Associations had urged him to have the ban lifted. An expert committee of inquiry appointed by the British Medical Association had found that the ban was unwarranted.