LONDON’S APPETITE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23205, 1 June 1937, Page 4

LONDON’S APPETITE

Facts and figures showing how dependent London’s millions are upon overseas countries for their meat are contained in the 1936 report of the City of London’s Central Marketing Committee. Supplies produced in Britain and Ireland are sufficient to provide Londoners with a weekly ration of only 3.70 z of beef, 2.80 z mutton and lamb, and 3oz of pork. The dominions provide weekly 3.10 z of beef, 7.40 z of mutton and lamb, and 1.1 oz of pork; and foreign countries 14.50 z of beef, l.Soz of mutton and lamb, and OUoa ol pork per head. Thl*

densely-populated corner of the British Isles depends for 74.2 per cent, of its meat requirements on overseas countries. To maintain the year’s meat supplies, 1,000,000 bullocks and calves, 6,800,000 sheep and lambs, and 1,100,000 pigs are required. Tracing, the history of Smithfleld, the report recalls that in 1882 a ship was chartered to bring live oxen and sheep from Melbourne to London. The voyage lasted two months and nine days, and was not repeated. In the same year New Zealand sent 5000 frozen sheep, the voyage lasting 98 days..