EXPORT OF CALVES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 50, 27 August 1925, Page 7

EXPORT OF CALVES

RISKING OUR REPUTATION.

The question of the export of calves was raised by a deputation representing the Patea Farmers Freezing Company and the dairying interests of South Taranaki, which waited on the Minister ofAgriculture (the Hou. W. Nosworthy) to-day. The main request was that permission should be granted for the export in the frozen stato of four-day-old calves! It was explained that an offer had been received for receipt of 500 tons of veal, and that it was estimated that 150,000 calves were slaughtered annually in Taranaki alone. Failing the Government agreeing to the request for export of a largo quantity of the meat, the deputation asked for permission to ship a sampl» The Director of Agrioultura (Dr. Reakes) Baid that the New Zealand law required that all meat for export should carry a Government certificate that it .was free from disease and fit for human consumption. The United States r«gula^ tions, whioh he considered the most comprehensive and complete in existenoe, provided for the export of mature animals only, and calves were considered mature for slaughter when the flesh had reached a certain stage of development,, eight or ten days after birth. The Now Zealand regulations went further, and provided that oalves killed for human consumption must weigh sixty pounds, including the skin. New Zealand depended for her prosperity upon her meat export trade, and our system _of inspection was regarded in Great Britain as thoroughly reliable. Was it worth while risking tbn reputation of ou.r inspection in the whole meat export trade for the sake of exporting very young oalves? The Minister observed that the prosperity of the country was wrapped up in the quality of the article exported. A member of the deputation stated thai preference was expressed on the Continent for ow>day-old veal.

Dr. Reakes said he doubted whether the dairy farmers would make much out of their propoßaL "Wn are pioneers in this matter," replied the spokesman, "and ws »r» prepared to make the experiment." The Minister promised to consider the matter.