ENGLISH PRODUCE NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1264, 21 May 1896, Page 6

ENGLISH PRODUCE NOTES.

A QUESTION FOR TIIE AUSTRALASIAN G O VEEN ALE NTS. From Our Own Correspondent. London, February 7.

On Monday evening in the House of Commons, Air llontoul asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether his attention had been called to repeated statements in the Australian papers regarding defective inspection of tho sanitary condition of cattle slaughtered in Australia to be sent as frozen meat to Great Britain, and whether he would enquire fully into the efficiency of these inspections. Air Long said ho had seen some newspaper cuttings bearing on the subject, but did not gather that there is any ground for public apprehension with respect to it. Enquiry as to tho system of inspection adopted in the Australian colonies has already been made, and the results communicated to the Local Government Board, within whoso provinco the matter really rested.

The frequency with which this question of the sanitary or insanitary conditions under which Australasia carries on her dead meat export crops up in one place or another suggests strongly to me that it is part of a game played to scaro the untutored consumer off frozen meats. Whether this is so or not it scorns to mo that the interested Governments should take prompt and, if possible, united action to lay tho bogey once and for all by proving to the British public not only that the slaughtering and dressing of the meat for export is carried on under tho most approved sanitary conditions, but also that it is impossible for any diseased sheep or cattle to find their way into tho refrigerators. If this cannot bo done at once because the laws in tho various exporting colonies are not sufficiently stringent, or being sufficiently stringent are not properly enforced, then the sooner you rectify these matters tho better. Tho moat industry is of paramount importance to tho colonies, and you cannot afford to have suspicion thrown upon tho trade by anyone. But if any’ loophole is left through which the fiiunds uf the British farmer can throw mud you can safely bet your last shilling they’ll do it without compunction. Don’t wait for the Local Government Board to reassure the British public, for that body, like a good many oihers, is sometimes so leisurely’ in its working that the result of its researches Joes not reach the people until the latter have forgotten all about the subj-ct over which the Biard has been exercising ils powers of procrastination. In this case however, the public won t bo allowed to forget—the friends of the BE. wilt take care they do not, and umil conclusive rebutting evidonev, is circul (■led here every c.-u-e will he taken thatymr exports do not receive the “ bcnoilt of die doubt."

“ C ATT BE D 1 HE USE IX NEW ZEALAND." Sir. John Long, wh > represents the gu le folk of Dundee in I’arliam-nf, asked u question in the II -use th- other evening a.; to tho niture of the application made to the Board of Trade with regard to live stock shipments from New Zealand. In reply, Air Long informed Sir John that the application was that New Zealand sheep and cattle should be allowed to be landed in this country without being slaughtered at the port of landing, regardless of the fact that the vessel bringing them had entered or been in ports or places in other countries contrary to the provisions of tho Ityreiga AnnuftH Qrder

(of 1895. Air Long very kindly informed the House that he had no reason to doubt the statements made to him by the Government of New Zealand as to the absence of disease in the Colony, but in dealing with the application made to him it was, he said, obviously necessary to consider the sanitary condition of the animals in the other countries with which the vessels traded in the course of their voyage. Sir John Leng asked if any difference would bo made in the case of vessels coming direct, and Air Long replied that if it was represented to him that a vessel had come straight from the Colony without touching at any port en route he should be prepared to consider the matter. Mr Long, it seems, does not intend to agree with the majority of sensible people that a call for coal at Las Palmas should not count. As a matter of fact I do not believe the Board of Trade intend to budgo one inch from the antagonistic position they have taken up with regard to the live cattle importation. And so far as Australasia is concerned I am almost convinced that tho Board's attitude is justified. The animals may bo sound in every respect when selected for transport, but the travelling to the port of shipment anil the vicissitudes of even an average voyage may easily produce disease amongst thorn. Aroreover, my own personal opinion is that live stock shipments from Australia made under existing conditions of transport can never pay. Now and again financial success may attend such ventures, but on the whole L fancy shippers will find the balance against them, or so little in their favour as to render tho game not worth the candle.

SLANDER REFUTED. Air W. P. Reeves (tho new AgentGeneral for New Zealand) has most properly addressed a letter to the Times “ very distinctly" denying that Sir A. Aclaml Hood’s statement that “ a very large portion of foreign and colonial cheese was adulterated with fat and even more deleterious compounds," has any justification whatever so far as New Zealand is concerned. He points out that tho greatest care is taken in tho Colony to ensure the exportation of a really good article, tho Government and tho factory owners being fully alive to the value of tho English market, and to the folly of jeopardising their position by carelessness or fraud. Air Reeves states his belief that the same caro is taken in tho othor colonies. Neither Mr Gillies nor Sir Saul Samuel have, however, taken the trouble to defend their respective colonies in this matter. Their Governments should wake them up.

DISEASES OF ANIMALS BILL. Whatever the attitude of the Board of Agriculture or any other executive and administrative body may bo with regard to tho live cattß trado, it is very evident that before long no foreign cattle or sheep will bo allowed to stray alive beyond tho port of landing. Air Long’s Diseases of Animals Bill, which was ordered to bo read a second time on Aronday night, after a long discussion, by 244 votes to 95, provides for tho immediate slaughter of all imported sheep and cattlo without reference to their country of origin. It is hopeless to believe that this docision of tho House of Commons will be materially altered, and colonial exporters may as well make up their minds that the Bill will become law. Hail tho division resulted in a narrow majority for tho Ayes there might have been some grounds for hoping that the voice of tho colonios speaking in tho House through Air Chamberlain would have the effect of killing or actually amending tho Bill. Mr White (Forfar), in opposing it, said the Colonial Secretary “ ought to confer with the Minister for Agriculture respecting tho effects of the Bill on the colonies," Probably Joseph will do so. His silence during the debate would seem to indicate that ho lias a very open mind on the subject of tho live cattlo import, and it ia quite possible that if tho Minister of tho Colonies chielly concerned can persuade Air Chamberlain that tho Bill will do tho colonial live stock exporters harm he may be able to prevent its passage in its present form.

I need not enter into the debate. Tho main allegations of the opponents of the n ensure were in effect that the Bill was intended for the benefit of the Homo stock breeders, and would have the effect of raising the price of beef against the consumcrs. This cry of protection, as you will see, influenced tho House very little. One peculiarity of the debate was the fact that not one member mentioned anything about “ the horrors of the Australasian live stock trade," of which we have heard so much from Air John Colam, of the N S.P.G.A. The JJuily Chronicle, however, whilst opposing Mr Long’s Bill so far as Canadian and States cattle are concur no *, states definitely that “ the live cattle sli p 0.-nt from Australasia ought to cease," and regards bir J, ho Leng’s proposed aim n Iment to exempt from tho application of tho measure animals imported direct from New Zealand as “singularly illadvised."