THE LORDS ON FROZEN MEAT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6384, 29 July 1882, Page 3

THE LORDS ON FROZEN MEAT.

Even so august an assembly as the House .of Peers does not consider the frozen meat question quite beneath its notice, as witness the following brief debate : —

Lord Lamington, in calling attention to this subject, observed that with good seasons and fair play the Home produce could compete with the Colonial, but it was necessary that both the producer and the consumer should be fairly treated. The House was probably aware that within the last few days 5000 frozen sheep had arrived in England from New Zealand, and it appeared from the report of the market that this meat could be sold at Gd or 7d per lb, at which price it would do no harm to the English grower. The consumer ought, of course, to be able to buy the cheaper meat if he wished it, but it was not at all clear that he was allowed to do so. A correspondent of The Times wrote as follows:—

ft Pespairing householders are asking when they are to get the benefit of such consignments as recently arrived from New Zealand. Is there a single consumer who bought a joint pf one.pf the pOOO frozen sheep so successfully imported who was charged less than 100 per cent, on the transaction, and honestly told what fee was buying ? No London butcher sells American meat, and no London butcher sold ,one of the 6000 frozen sheep brought from New Zealand. This fact the public will learn for themselves if 'they make the round of the shops and inquire. ' No, ma'am, we don't keep it: only the best English meat.' This is the universal story, but, somehow, people do not beiioye.it."

That iri</infng ho had received an interesting letter from a correspondent, who said he had observed with great satisfaction that notice had been given of this question and continued:— " '

" The importance of your question tt the middle and poor classes is but little realised by politicians, and ftlso by themaj ority of voters, who are too supine'to niake any demonstration'that would impress the Government with tho importance of this quostibn. It is a great hardship tp small purchasers that retail dealers can, in the most open manner, sell' meat imported from America, Australia, &c. (for which tlisy pay a very'small price) as and at the same prices as are asked for prime English and Scotch meat, the teef being dressed in America to resemble Scotch meat,' and who invariably reply, when asked ' the question, 'Are you sure this is not American meat?' ' No, I would not keep such a thing in my shop;' as well as being very insolent, and often refusing tp serve one again. This makes it especially hard, as it often happens that there is not another shop near. My lord, this is a matter that concerns very much the middle and working classos.' He hoped that this trade would be developed ; &t the same time, he trusted that fair play would be given to the English producer. On the principle that we prevented the sale of adulterated butter as genuine butter, so we might compel American meat to be sold as such, and thus save to the working classes an average of perhaps 2d per lb, while doing an act of justice to the Home producer. The noble lord concluded by asking whether "the attention of her Majesty's Government has been palled to the recent importations of frozen sheep from New Zealand ; and whether, in tho interest of tho British producer and consumer, it may not be desirable to introduce a bill to compol tho retail dealers to specify the description of meat they are selling, and imposing heavy penalties on any person who sells imported moat as Home produce." Jjord Sudeley, in reply, said : I am sorry that I am unable to follow the noble lord in his interesting at&tement with any information on tho subject, Tlis Board of Trade have no official knowledge of this recent importation of frozen meat" from New Zealand, though their attention has been called to it by the announcement in the newspapers. The Government do not, as at present advised, think it necessary or advisable to introduce a bill to compel retail doaloi'3 to specify the description of meat they are selling, #Pfl imposing heavy penalties on any poraons who fgf). imported meat as Home The Duke of Rutland tiiaijfejed the noble lord who had brought' this' subjijet forward, 3C.d who had received an' unsatisfactory ajxsw.er. English agriculture was in a depressed,

not to say an alarming condition, and anything likely to benefit tho agricultural classes and to onablo them to meet tha competition to which thoy were exposed ought to bo worth the serious attention of her Majesty's Government.