Lamb Unloading In London Defended

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30471, 19 June 1964, Page 11

Lamb Unloading In London Defended

LONDON, June 18. Allegations that methods of 60 years ago were being used on London docks to unload New Zealand lamb from ships were “quite exaggerated,” a Port of London Authority spokesman said today.

He was commenting on remarks reported to have been made by Mr J. J. Polson to the Wanganui Provincial Executive of Federated Farmers. Mr Polson complained of the deterioration of meat left too long in the open on the docks, and of lamb carcases falling on to dirty wharves. The P.L.A. spokesman said: “The method of discharging New Zealand lamb is the same the world over. Meat goes straight off the quay from the ship-side into insulated road, rail and barge transport.” He answered Mr Polson’s

■ allegation that carcases of i lamb slid off a bogie into dirty , water on the wharf at London’s Royal Docks by saying, ’ “It is a very rare occurrence . for meat to come out of a • sling, but it does happen . occasionally. “Hundreds of millions of 1 carcases are dealt with every i year, and perhaps an odd . half dozen might slip out of : the sling,” he said. ! “To say the method of un- : loading has not changed for : 60 years is quite wrong. There i is now mechanical equipment I on the quay-side to take meat ■ swiftly to the road and rail transport.” > He said that the Port of

r London Authority was conr sidering the introduction of - a mechanical conveyor for , meat loading in one London ! dock. i Mr N. J. Forman, chairman i of the New Zealand and Australian Agents’ Association, f said that New Zealand meat ’ was landed in Britain in “very I good condition indeed.” f “Generally speaking we find the services provided by the - docks are first class, although - from time to time accidents ! do occur,” he said. t “It is true we have not t covered facilities at docks, I but this is a matter the Port of London Authority is workf ing on at the moment.”