Slaughter area faces Mecca

Press, 10 May 1979, Page 3

Slaughter area faces Mecca

PA Auckland By a quirk of fate the Westfield freezing works already conforms to at least one requirement of Islamic killing practice. With their pocket compasses, an Iranian delegation of six visited the works yesterday to check its suitability as a supplier for the lucrative Iranian market.

They found that the sheep-killing area at Westfield points towards Mecca, in accordance with Islamic requirement. Company officials con-

ceded that the design was “a pure fluke” and not the result of careful market study. But other freezing works could face expensive alterations to their killing chains if they are to ship meat to Iran. The delegation, which leaves New Zealand today, is headed by Ayatollah Sharif Mahdavi and in-

cludes a slaughterman, Mr H. M. Mohammad. It has already visited the Fairton works, near Ashburton. A spokesman for the de-

legation said it was likely that non-conforming freezing works would have only to realign the actual killing area and not the whole chain because it was particularly important for the slaughterman to face Mecca. But he emphasised that it was still too early for any definite statement to be made.

The delegation was reluctant to be drawn on how New Zealand freezing works rated but one member said the delegation had viewed the works favourably.