Jl CHINESE PORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14223, 20 November 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

Jl CHINESE PORK.

OVER" A HUNDRED IMPORTED PIGS

CONDEMNED.:

TAINT OF. TUBERCULOSIS.

A remarkable revelation as to the condition of the carcases of • Chinese pigs recently : imported to London : was made in the House of Commons by Mr. : John Burns. ■■■ •-» >"'-■? > •-

The total number of carcases received was 4665, and he said that of the 1182 inspected up to date 107' (or about 9 per cent.) • had been condemned as "unfit for food. ■: . ' -.\ ~■ - ; :" t . ;'-., ; -

Mr. ißurns added that.he had himself been into the < refrigerating stores, the wholesale markets', and retail shops', and that he also went down the New Cut at Lambeth on a Saturday night. , This was to see if the opinions of his officers were supported by laymen. He found . that they were. ■ - ' '

Mr. Dillon asked' ' if Mr. Burns would consider the desirability of prohibiting the importation of Chinese 'pork into the country, but he said he could give no such undertaking.

Answering Mr. Will Thome, Mr. Burns said care was taken that the condemned carcases were hot used for human consumption. .-■ "Has the right hon. gentleman tasted the pork?" asked Mr. Dillon. " Yes, I have," replied Mr. Burns, amid laughter. , The condition of the pork was also diecussed by the Court of Common Council. It was there, stated that all the carcases bore the label: — "For export; medically examined and certified free from disease." In practically the whole of the 107 cases the pigs were found to have suffered from tuberculosis, and the chairman of the Sanitary Committee thought it might fairly be assumed that a further percentage might be tainted with incipient tuberculosis which could not be detected. - A member asked if the label were an official or private guarantee/and the reply was that it was signed by a medical officer named Thompson, but at what port Mr. Thompson examined the carcases was not known. x It was pointed out that when the pork was examined by the medical officer of the Port of London Sanitary Authority no disease could be,detected, though 100 carcases were selected at' random. At that time, of course, it was frozen. Later, when the pork came under the jurisdiction of the City of London Sanitary 'Committee, the true state of. affairs was discovered. Sir Marcus Samuel expressed the opinion that the manner in which pork was fed in China would always render it unfit for consumption in Europe.