Official Says N.Z. Meat ‘Unwholesome’

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31863, 16 December 1968, Page 18

Official Says N.Z. Meat ‘Unwholesome’

(New Zealand Press Association) APIA (Western Samoa), Dec. 15. New Zealand export aspirations in the Pacfic received a heavy blow in American Samoa last week when an American official condemned 30 tons of New Zealand canned corned beef imported for the school lunch programme.

The official was on a brief visit from Washington, and after opening a few cans of the New Zealand product, which has found high favour with island people for many years, he declared it unwholesome although it carried an inspector’s approval stamp.

Local agents claim the move is a deliberate attempt to cut New Zealand primary produce out of the market. The newly-appointed meat inspector in Pago Pago, Mr Tenari Fuimaono, said that he issued a warning months ago that Australian and New Zealand products would have to comply with United States Department of Agriculture regulations. However, local merchants were told only in late November, and the Samoan agent for New Zealand manufacturers says that neither he nor the manufacturers were told that the produce would have to apply for the Department of Agriculture stamp. _

“I believe that the people in the territory are entitled to the best meat available, and it is my responsibility to see that no inferior meat enters the country lest this affect the health of the nation,” Mr Fuimaono said. While 30 tons of “Pisupo” sits in the Government store in Pago Pago the legislature is debating the issue, with legislators and local people both reluctant to see the last of an island delicacy. Canned corned beef has already been banned for import into Western Samoa, allegedly because of lack of foreign exchange, but supposedly because of Government dissatisfaction with the high price. One 16oz tin cost almost

60 sene, compared with 10 sene for local beef. Last week Western Samoa extended the ban from named New Zealand products to include all canned corned beef from any country. Since the ban was imposed merchants have been discovering new sources of the product in Australia, Fiji, France, and even Communist China. Some of these sources were banned by the local Department of Agriculture, but now corned beef generally is a banned import. Samoan people must • learn to like cheaper canned pilchards and mackerel or find a cheaper source of imports. An Apia importing agent, Mr A. Macdonald, said the corned beef was imported and taken delivery of by the American Samoan Government before new regulations on “wholesomeness” came into effect on December 1. Mr Macdonald said the inspector concerned, Mr R. Crumpley, appeared on television in Pago Pago. In statements regarding the 30 tons of corned beef, he had used the word “unclean,” but did not issue any condemnation order or say that the importer had to remove the goods from the country. Mr Macdonald said the canned meat bore the stamp of a New Zealand meat inspector. “The new regulations deal mainly with labelling of products, but do not define the word ‘wholesomeness’ which remains at the discretion of inspectors.” Mr Macdonald said the people of American Samoa were most dismayed at the action of the Washington official, who flew from the territory before the matter could be discussed.