THE MEAT TRADE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10964, 6 May 1907, Page 1

THE MEAT TRADE.

r — : — "'•+• ■.:■■+>-.:'•.' ■ WAR OFFICE INSPECTOR'S ; -REPORT. ..■.■;>,..>_.■■■'" '. ' '* '-■■ .4 .' •'- V- "■ ' ■■■' '•■•' ,■'<■ . '■' '* ■••■" **'(Per Press Aesdciation.) .•■;.'■ - ' ";' '■-**■ ; ' WELLINGTON', this* dajr. > Major Long, who has toured the colony inspecting the various freezing and preserving works m the interests ,dt the British War Office, has terminated his tour. He is greatly impressed by the well organised, perfect system of. government inspection of freezing and meat, preserving work6 t all of whicli he* had visited, The Government and the companies had afforded, him/ every, facility', m carry-, ing out ]i is mission, and .hb had received valuable assistance fromeAlrißeakes, lict-ing-Chief Government Yeti&rinariaii, /wlio had accompanied tlie visitojf 'through out ti**e -tour. The colony had;* a .'firie' supply of real good' meat, arid if ityshonjjjj* secure orders froni' the War Offfce there ehould •be a big demand for our preserved meats m other directions. There, wass.n. suggestion* the visitor had to make. Wlien asked if there wag any room for imprav- > ing an important tradej Major Long said lie was not impressed with what was known as the boned meat phase of the industry. Although the Government inspection guaranteed that nothing but pure and absolutely clean meat was exported, stiil, it was lean, and when defrosted m London it often presented an anything but nice" 1 appearance. Und_-_-the- terms of tlie Slaughtering and Inspection Act; he found the Government 'officers could not condemn such meat as long a6 it was >free from disease. At "the same time, the colony was taking a , x risk- of having its hest trade seriously affected by continuing* to send Home boned meat,- for such goods .would prejudice _the.- "best quality of meat, L Of ' course, the. boned meat in- j dustry was a legitimate trade, and lie recognised that .it had sprung* up. in V re■sponse to a _emand for that class of meat. At the',; same time, it was hardly a business upon whioh, New N Zealand ex-' porters 'could pride themselves. The Major was informed tliat tlie Chief Veterinanan (Mr Gilruth) had spoken m a similar strain some months ago,, and uttered a similar word of warning. "Well/> concluded the Afajof-;'**'* <I make'these remarks to you m the, best interests of the meat trade, and especially .because all the •dther meat exported from New Zealand is of such particularly high, quality." MajorLong .leaves at the end- 'of next week to continue liis mission m: Australia. •>'-' i