HORSEFLESH FOR THE BELGIANS

Southland Times, Issue 17498, 29 April 1915, Page 6

HORSEFLESH FOR THE BELGIANS

KXPLANATION OK THK CLUTHA PROPOSAL, A new light was thrown on the proposal to send horseflesh to the. starving Belgians at the meeting of the Cl nth a branch of. the Banners' Union, held last week. The chairman (.Mr W. S. Thomson) said iif: wished to contradict the statement that the proposal originated with the local Union. Mr .I*. A. Watt stated that he, as secretary of the branch, had received a newspaper cutting of Lite Rev. Air Ready's denunciation of the proposal, and written oti the margin was, "You mean hounds." Air Watt moved: "That this meeting repudiates on behalf of the farmers any connection witli the proposal to send the Mesh of old horses as food for the Belgians, and resents the assumption of authority to represent the farmers of C'lutha assumed by the members of the deputation, and, further, express their disgust at tile proposal.” Mr Watt said it was almost as had lo be taken for a German as to he a Ulntha farmer nowadays. What, made the matter even worse was that the promoters expected to get l’~.d per lb for the flesh. Ho did not know where the money was to coran from unless out of the Belgian relief fund. Ho was certain that the majority of the fanners knew nothing about the matter. Mr G. Smith, jun.. who was one of the deputation to Mr Malcolm, outlined bow the scheme originated, and staled that it was not proposed to semi old horses, but the flesh of young horses whioh were in some way or other unlit for general farm work. Ho knew of some such horses which were as "fai as hotter," and these, lie thought, would make good food for the Belgians. Horseflesh was a usual article of diet on Ihe Gontinent. and a big cvmtract for it had been signed in Dunedin before the war commenced. Horseflesh was also sold in many butcher shops in Britain. He knew they had been called "mean hounds.” but the deputation had never meant lo feed the Belgians, hut looked on the proposal as a commercial undertaking, and when Air AlosS'ey's reply regarding insulated space was received (he matter, ended so far as the deputation was concerned, and they were not ashamed of having put forward the suggestion. Mr G. Aloore said ho did not wish to uphold the proposal, hut surely it was better to send decent horseflesh to the Continent than sterilised diseased meat, as had been done for long enough by people at Home. , The motion was carried unanimously.