Our Meat Supply.

Northland Age, Volume 2, Issue 44, 12 June 1906, Page 5

Our Meat Supply.

| Some Serious Allegations. The Checks on Diseased Meat Inadequate. * The American meat scandal has given |rise to enquiries concerning the control and inspection of New Zealjfnd’s meat ([industry, with the result that Wellington’s j supply in particular has come in for a l rough time in certain quarters. At a meeting of the trustees in that city on Wednesday last, Mr. F. T. Moore moved a resolution advocating a “ public investigation in connection with the sources of supply, and methods of purveyors of meat for the City of Wellington.” In [support of his motion Mr. Moore said the colony spent £20,000 a year in an endeavour to cope with disease through the Health Department, and it should not allow the possibility of people being poisoned by meat. He was familiar with [the meat trade, and was well aware of the passing of cattle for the meat market which should not have been passed. He wanted evidence taken on oath, because he knew the meat magnates would not give the evidence required unless oath was insisted upon. They had evaded questions before, and would do so again, if not prevented. He said he did not refer to the large meat works pvhich supplied the major portion of the meat for Wellington, but there were adjacent districts which sent meat to the city.

! Mr. Luke (chairman) admitted that ■the question was one of importance, but [the ordinary formula must be gone lilirough, and notice of motion be given. 1 The motion will be discussed a fortJnight hence. \ Mr. F. T. Moore, in an interview with la “ New Zealand Times ” reporter, made [some startling disclosures. He declares [that he has been connected with the meat [trade for a-quarter of a century. He [.-.ays that perhaps one beast in a thousand [was condemned at] private slaughter[houses, whereas the proportion [of diseased animals was perhaps six or seven [perj cent. The effects of such methods [were far-reaching, he said, and in his [opinion the genesis of the rapid increase of consumption was thus due to lax inspection. The evil, moreover, was not confined to private slaughterhouses, but xisted to a great extent in the big meat works. He said it was not generally known that the meat companies paid the salaries of the resident Government inspectors ; they paid it to the Government, who, in turn, paid the men. The inspectors knew this, and [felt that they were in the service of the company. He asserted that he could produce evidence to show that Mr. Gilruth, the Chief Government Veterinarian, had condemned an animal after it had been passed as sound by a resident inspector, and alleged that there were cases in plenty where bribes had been accepted for passing cattle that should have been condemned. Mr. Moore says that he has not been connected with the inner workings of the meat factories for some time, but within ten years he had seen on several occasions unborn calves taken from carcases of dead and sometimes diseased cattle and used as sausages.

He further declared that a large percentage of pigs were diseased, and that if they were too poor in condition for the market they were converted into sausages. | As a remedy Mr. Moore suggests that [the public should stand in with the [Government in making good the loss Occasioned to the farmers by having animals condemned as diseased. It was solely the fear of loss that led to the leorruption that existed, and that must bo deleted before they could hope for better things.

! A fresh horror submitted by Mr. Moore jwas that when hides of cattle and pelts of sheep were sent to the tannery the [“fleshings ” (small pieces of fat adheringg [to them) were scraped off and sent tol certain works in Wellington, treated! chemically (by which all impurities were! (bleached white), and sold as pure fat toj (local biscuit-makers. To a large extent,! jhe says, the city corporation is to blame! jfor not establishing municipal abattoirs. |