MARKING FROZEN MEAT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1201, 8 March 1895, Page 9

MARKING FROZEN MEAT.

TO TttE editor* Sir, —From the cables published in your issue of the 13th instant I notice the importance of compulsory marking imported meat is again forcing consideration from the Imperial Parliament. If I am correctly informed legislation on this important matter would have ere this passed into law but for the opposition of the two junior members of the Government, Lords Vernon and Ribsdale. I see, however, the question has not been lost sight of, as the Conservative member for Basingstoke, Mr Jeffery, has introduced a Bill somewhat on the lines of Lord Onslow’s, dealing exhaustively with the subject, and for which, should his efforts prove successful (of which, judging from the tenor of previous cables, there appears to be every probability and possibility), lie Will have earned the gratitude of both producer and consumer* The magnitude of this branch of commerce, of such vital importance to the colonies and this Colony in particular, will be readily understood when it is considered that a third of the annual British meat supply is imported —178,000 tons alive and 425,000 tons dead, the foreign dead meat trade supplying a fourth of the meat of theTJnifed Kingdom. Of this New Zealand contributes about two million carcases of muttony and a fair percentage of beef. New Zealand mutton has long held premier position for quality in the Home market, and although from cable advices we see it quoted at from 2£d to 3d per lb, still it is an open secret that thousands upon thousands of the prime joints are sold as Welsh and Scotch at from lOd to Is per lb. Who should reap the benefits of this ? The natural answer would be the producer. Who does P The middleman and retail butcher. But although cases ©f actual fraud can hardly ever be proved, and without proof nothing can be done under the present laws, still it will be readily conceded by all honest men that something should be done. Why legislation here on this matter has not asserted itself remains to my mind a blot on the 'Legislature. The wholesale exporters can have no legitimate reason to object to the marking other than on the score of expense (so long as the carcase is not in any way injured), but even this would be more than trebly compensated for by the enhanced value of the produot. The advance of only a penny per lb would increase the spending powers of New Zealand growers over a quarter of a million pounds annually. The importer, middleman, and retail butcher,, who are fattening on the superiority of our mutton at the expense of the Colony, however object, naturally enough, to marking, and thus afford one of the best possible arguments why it should be marked. If all is fair and above-board, they could have no reasonable objection. They suggest marking the bags in which it is encased. The absurdity of this will be easily perceived, as a consumer would have to purchase a whole carcase to be sure of what he was buying. What the small consumer wants is to know by some mark what he is purchasing. He does not want to be palmed off with scraggy River Plate and Argentine mutton for the genuine New Zealand: article. He is willing to pay it so long as he is assured of getting it, but the difficulty appears to be in suitably marking it. Electricity, dyes, tags and labels have all been tried, but with no satisfactory results. Here is an opening for the inventive genius of New Zealand. A fortune awaits the man who can successfully overcome the difficulty. Major Stacpoole, the expert in meat purchase for the War Department, gave it in evidence that New Zealand mutton was quire as nutritious as English and as good in flavour as Welsh, and that the rations supplied to the troops in the shape of mutton were now entirely of New Zealand origin, and, further, that the men now looked forward to the days of its issue, preferring it to the home-killed meat such as the contractors are able to supply at the comparative low prices at which the contracts are made. Before the same committee joints were produced openly purchased the same day in the Strand, London? labelled "Mountain Welsh,” which were- immediately recognised by expert butchers as New Zealand. Here then is conclusive evidence, firstly, as to the necessity of some protection to the unwary ; secondly, as to the superiority of our product, and, lastly, as to the direct fraud perpetrated. Surely, sir, the urgent necessity of some simple marking process being compulsory is here clearly demonstrated. Thanking you in anticipation,—l am, etc., Protection. February 26th, 1895.