Australian Letter New Industry In Kangaroo Meat

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29326, 4 October 1960, Page 23

Australian Letter New Industry In Kangaroo Meat

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) SYDNEY. A ustralia’s national animal, the kangaroo, which for yeans has been looked upon as something to be protected rather than harmed, has suddenly become the source of a new industry. In outback areas, it has become a pest and is multiplying in plague proportions in at least four States in the Commonwealth. To check the plague, thousands have been shot by armies of shooters in the last six to 12 months, and meat, in the form of steaks from the carcases, now is being sold on the home and overseas markets. In Melbourne, the steaks have been selling swiftly at the markets for 2s 6d per lb. Before it goes on to the internal or overseas markets, the meat is closely inspected by Health Commission inspectors. The law in Victoria requires the meat to be branded as kangaroo, but in Sydney its sale has been banned to prevent it being sold as beef. Hundreds of pounds of kangaroo meat, already boned and processed at Wentworth, in south-western New South Wales, are now being sold in Melbourne, as well as being sent overseas. Shooters in outback areas are busy trying to keep up supplies and, in the 12 months ending July 31, more than 60,000 kangaroos were shot for their meat and hides.

Boners and packers of the meat at Wentworth see a big future for the industry. Shooters em-

ployed by the processing company are using mobile dieseloperated chillers, capable of holding 100 frozen carcases. Before the market for kangaroo meat came into being, nothing was done about the carcases of slaughtered animals—they were just left to rot. Graziers in the outback have welcomed the latest development, and allow the organised teams of shooters a free hand, providing there is no indiscriminate shooting and that all the carcases are collected and taken away. In Melbourne, kangaroo steaks are now being featured on the menus of several fashionable restaurants. They also are being served as counter-lunch fare in several city hotels. Courtesy Campaign For years, until the time that clubs began to spring up throughout the State, New South Wales drinkers had to take it or leave it where hotel attention was concerned. With the growth of clubs, they were provided with a new channel for their social enjoyment, and accordingly began to transfer their patronage. It was not long before the hotels began to feel the effect of falling trade and licensees, through the medium of television and various bar games, including darts, began a campaign to woo beck their lost trade. Up to a point, some succeeded, but others were and are still being cold-shouldered by their former customers. Now, the beck-to-the-hotel campaign has taken a new turn. The New South Wales branch of the Australian Hotels’ Association, which represents about 80 per cent, of the Stale's 2000 hotels, has issued to hotel licensees, managers and staff an efficiency manual in which ways are suggested to improve hotel service. In stressing that courtesy is an essential, the manual goes on to say:— “Use of jugs for topping up

glasses of beer should be avoided; give the same attention to all customers and never expect tips; never smoke, drink liquor, eat or chew while on duty; smile if it all but kills you . . . and it won’t.” As a special tip to barmaids, it adds: “Never allow anyone to tell you improper jokes.” £sm Lighting Plan Notoriously poor street-lighting in Sydney and other parts of New South Wales may be improved at a cost of £sm under a five-year plan by the State Government. The Minister for Local Government (Mr Hills) has announced that he will ask the Government to subsidise local councils on a £ for £ basis in a £sm lighting improvement scheme to be spread over five years. Later, he said, the Government would pay a similar subsidy for a £1,355,000 streetlighting programme. Motorists and motoring organisations welcomed the announcement. A special survey on the lighting problem by a State Electricity Authority ■ committee reported that:— Fifty-two per cent of all fatal accidents were at night; the volume of traffic at night was only 25 to Tt per cent, of the total volume of traffic In the 24 hours; street Hgbting, generally, was insufficient and, in many cases, street Ugfats were incorrectly

It suggested that improved lighting would provide these “substantial benefits”; increased protection against crime; better traffic services; a marked reduction in road accidents at night; and, increased “comfort and prestige.” Thieves Use Chloroform Thousands of. pounds worth of plump fowls have been stolen by thieves from poultry farmers in districts around Sydney in the last few weeks. They have made their job easier by using bags soaked in chloroform, which they throw into the fowl houses and wait for the birds to drop senseless from their roosts. The thieves then load sack after sack of plump birds' into their lorries and drive away. The president of the Poultry Farmers’ Association, Mr G. A. Syme, said this week one farmer, recently, had lost 300 pedigreed biMs worth £lOOO. University Expenditure This year’s New South Wales Budget, which has just been brought down, provides £4,470,000 for the State’s three univendtie*. The amount Is an increase of more than £613,000 on expenditure.