MEAT INDUSTRY

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 104, 4 May 1935, Page 6

MEAT INDUSTRY

THE SYDNEY ABATTOIRS

NEW COMMISSION'S WORK

POLICY OF IMPROVEMENT

(From "Tho Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, April 25,

"When the Stevens Government came into office in New South Wales in June, 1932, a Meat Board, appointed by the Lang Government, was in control of the meat industry in the metropolitan area. It had complete charge of the:immense State Abattoirs at Homebush Bay, near the head of the Parramatta River, where all the metropolitan slaughtering both for the local and for the export .trade is carried out. Half-way through its term the Stevens Government dismissed this board and substituted a single commissioner, who was to be free from political control, but who was to have the assistance of an advisory, council.. That move was strongly criticised, especially as the Government had to pay considerable compensation to members of. the old board. But that it was justified has been proved- by a statement made by the Premier (Mr. Stevens) this week. HUGE NEW MARKETS. •Mr. Stevens, setting" the foundation stone of new markets at the abattoirs, disclosed that the..cost of the markets, £115,000, had been set aside from the Meat Commission's surplus earnings in the months' of its existence, although the commission's.charges had been reduced. ■ 'This is .an 'effective answer," said the Premier, "to those -critics who challenged the Government when the Meat Board was reconstructed at a cost of about £9000 in compensation to its' members with unexpired terms." The Premier described the new markets as the largest of their kind in Australia, and second in size only to Smithfield (London). The Meat Commissioner (Mr.J. Merrett) said that the new building would accommodate 6000 carcasses of beef, 10,000 carcasses of mutton, 7QOO carcasses of veal, and 1000 carcasses -of pork. The building contained 1,250,000 cubic feet of space, 10,000 cufcic yards of concrete, 500,000. bricks, 40CO tons of reinforced steel, and four ■ miles of meat rails. It was part of the commission's scheme to- provide for the more economical and hygienic handling of meat. The market would be the one distributing centre for buyers and would eliminate the present system of removing carcasses to the market at Pyhnont, close to the city. The meat in the market would be' continually, swept by chilled and washed air. "WHEN THE WORLD GETS MORE SENSE." Mr. Stevens'said that the building would be the genesis of great improvements that would benefit both consumers and producers when the commission's scheme was in full operation. He believed that when the world got a little more sense, Australia would be the greatest exporter" of beef and mutton in the world. The changes that the commission was^aking would provide for the more economical working of the, State Abattoirs, which was aii example of the advantages of an efficient and non-political enterprise, managed by men who knew their work. Government would help in every way possible to build up the meat industry,,and there would be no interference- as long as legitimate channels of trade were pursued. ■■{'■■ ' ■ The-Premier said that the Government was helping the meat industry by encouraging, .closer settlement on mixed farms. The increase in exports of mutton to 5^500,000 carcasses was evidence of how the trade could expand when directed oh the right lines. The fat lamb "industry had a wonderful future, andt the'chilled beef industry would'play ( a tremendous'part- in' Australia's export trade. He deplored statements! that thep6sition of the conference ln'Bntam-about the meat trade was in ani acute position. Australia, he said, was getting a good hearing, and the results *wpuld be to the advantage of Australian meat exporters Australia" not only had Britain as its best.market, but also as its Motherland He was,sanguine that the future would see the;best both for Britain and Australia.