BONED MEAT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 295, 7 September 1908, Page 7

BONED MEAT.

THE PROHIBITION—AN EXTENSION OF TIME. • • (m TEJ.EGttArH—rRESS ASSOCIATION— COPTRIGnT.J London, September 4. Tho Local Government Board has postponed the prohibition of tho importation of boned meat till January 1, 1909. GROUNDS OF PROHIBITION. Tho original, regulations of the Local Government Board prohibited tho importation of boned beef as from November 1 next. The High Commissioner for New Zealand asked for an extension of time, so that the prohibition might not take effect till January 1,1909; which request has now been granted. In replying to a deputation on August 2G, the New Zealand Minister for Lands (tho Hon. R. M'Nat)) mentioned the High Commissioner's request for an extension of timo, but said he had gathered, from the tone of the correspondence, that tho Imperial authorities had set themselves against tho importation of this class of meat. The Government had suggested (added Mr. M'Nab) that it would go in for a more rigorous method of inspection, and Cabinet was not altogether hopeless that the threatened prohibition might, after all, be averted. Tho ease for the British authorities - is thus stated by the journal of the Board of Agriculture:— ■" Imported boneless scrap meat is meat imported in boxes, barrels, or other receptacles, and consists of scraps, lumps, trimmings, and other portions of such size and shape that they are not readily identifiable with definite parts of tho dressed carcass. Most of it comes in a frozen condition from tho United States, but somo small quantities are also received from Argentina, Australasia, and olsewhere. Inspection in this country can afford no check whatever as to tho existence of disease in tho animals from which the moat is derived, nor upon the use of uncleanly or objectionablo methods of treatment or packing, and Dr. Buchanan observes that the unchecked admission of boneless scrap , meat _ into tho United Kingdom appears to constitute a definite risk to health. ... At the present time the volumo of trade in this commodity is small, and to prohibit its importation would cause little interference with trade." New Zealand boned beef is the flesh of portions of animals that are not of sufficiently primo quality to be oxported in the carcass. Tough old dairy cows, service bulls that liuvo had their day, "healthy" parts of "partially condemned" cattle—these make typical boned beef. New Zealand Government officials dislike the trado, because they fear tho boned inferior meat may be sold by retailers as Now Zealand to tho detriment of tho trado generally, but others reply that this danger does not exist, because it is never sold as New Zealand at all, but simply as unqualified "beef." Wellington is not much interested in the question, because very littlo boning is_ done hero. Tinning is done instead. Tho boning is moro prevalent in Auckland. Taranaki, and Christchurch. A large quantity of boned beef, however, is put aboard ship at Wellington from other centres.