INDELIBLE BRAND

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 104, 27 January 1931, Page 8

INDELIBLE BRAND

New Zealand Meat Carcases

WELLINGTON INVENTION *A branding device, electrically controlled, which, it is claimed, will be of immense value to exporters in. New Zealand, has been patented by Mr. W. R. Hufton, of Lower Hutt. Its chief virtue, it is claimed, is that the device places a clear and indelible brand on a carcass or any other object operated on without causing injury in the slightest degree. No ink or other fluid is used, disfigurement as far as that is concerned thus being impossible, and, moreover, the brand cannot be obliterated or changed without mutilating the carcass, The device is electrically controlled, and it was designed originally for the purpose of branding meat carcasses—in particular, pork. It is stated to be equally efficacious when used for live stock of any description. The inventor claims that such a branding appliance as this for use on carcasses exported from New Zealand will be of immense value not only to the exporter but to the country as a whole. In support of this argument he instances the many newspaper accounts that have appeared' lately of prosecutions at. Home for supplying foreign meat for New Zealand lamb, ,and he quotes from a letter written to “The Dominion” some time ago, after the publication of a photograph of a display at the New Zealand High Commissioner's office of New Zealand meat, unbranded, to the effect that it was remarkable that New Zealand meat has not been marked in some way so as to make imposition impossible. The device was the subject of a petition to Parliament during last session, when official recognition was requested, and the Government referred it to the Stock Committee of the House • of Representatives. This committee considered the petition on August 14, and suggested that the question of adopting an identification brand for all exported New Zealand meat should be considered. Beyond that no official action has been taken as yet.