THE "FOREIGN YOLK"

Nelson Evening Mail, 7 August 1916, Page 3

THE "FOREIGN YOLK"

PROPOSED' IMPORTATION OF ASIATIC E'G'GS.

The president and l executive of the New Zealand Poultry Association waited iiraon the Minister of Public Health (Hon. Cr. W. Riisst 11) on Friday afternoon, says the Post, with regard to the importation ;>f A sialic eggs into New Zealand. _ The deputation stated to the Minister that over £2OOO worth of Asiatic eggs, in a preserved form. h<ul been imported through the port of X.-yttelton' for the Dast 12 months, .and that they' believed •hat fully £1.0.000 worth had come into Jie Dominion. These eggs wef& largely ised by 'bakers for pastry and other, ,pni-->oses. ' and their importation had couiiderably affected the sale of fresh eggs. I'hev asked' that the regulations under the "Sale of Foods audi .Drugs Act be enforced to prevent this importation going on, to the detriment of the local poultry •'.wd'ustrv. The Minister, in reply, said this wats the first time the matter had been brousrht before him. He would obtain x full report on the s.ubject. He would also procure from the D'ominion Analjst a statement as to the relative food values of this product in the form- in which it reached the Dominion and the fresh. eggHe had to consider the quality arid' foodvalue of a product; _the imported article might 'be cheaper, but it might be found to lack food-value. In Ids opinion it was largely to poultry-keeping, fruitgrowing, and' such) industries that the country must look for the support of manv soldiers when they return to tho Domini oh. For 'this and ether reasons, the poultry imdustry should be portectcd and fostered. QUESTION OF PROFIT.

The New Zealand Farmers' Co-opera-tive Distributing Company reports the wholesale price of fresh eggs to-da\ as 2s per dozen. and preserved 1 eggs co la 5d p&r dozen. Notwithstanding the scarcity and) corresponding high price oi locally-produced the New Zealand Poultry Association airges the Minister for Public Health to prevent the importation of Asiatic eggs <by enforcement of regulations under the Sale of Foods and ■ Dtrugs Act, and in; the interests of _ the local poultry industry. The Minister I was sympathetic. As bearing on the egg j subject, >however, it may be stated that a | Wellington poultry-raiser in a- small way I asked the retail price of fresh eggs (as if intending to purchase some) in a. large citv establishment. The price named was 2s 4d per dozen, corresponding to the orice ticket on the eggs. Entering the shop a little later on, and going to the buyer for the firm, the poultry-raiser -asked'what was the same firm's current rate of the day for the pureha.se cf new-laid aggs. The reply was Is 6d per dozem—retailer's (margin of 10d per dozen !