MEAT EXPORT CONTROL

Taranaki Daily News, 17 August 1934, Page 7

MEAT EXPORT CONTROL

AMENDING BILL IN HOUSE new powers for LICENSING. HANDLING ON OWNERS’ ACCOUNT. EMPLOYMENT OF GIRLS IN WORKS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Last Night. The Hon. C. •E. Macmillan in the House ,of Representatives to-day moved for leave to introduce the Slaughtering and Inspection Amendment Bill. Mr. R. Semple (Lab., Wellington East) protested against the employment of young' girls' in freezing works and asked the Minister to investigate the matter and have the practice stopped. He also protested against the quality of animals sent to Wellington for human consumption. Many such animals were fit only for the zoo, he said. Mr. W. J. Polson (Co., Stratford) said that to the best of his knowledge no women or girls were employed in freezing. Such a practice was highly undesirable. If. it were found to be a fact the Minister should see what could be done about it.

Mr. P. Fraser (Lab., Wellington Central) asked if representations had been made to the Minister regarding the sale of meat to auctioneers. He said that was not fair to retail butchers. The Hon. J. G. Cobbe said he had been chairman of directors of a freezing works for six years and he knew of no girls employed in such works, except in the office as typists and clerks. Mr. A. S. Richards (Lab., Roskill) said he had been told by two reliable persons that girls had been employed at the freezing works at Otahuhu at wages ranging from 25s to 32s 6d a week. He did not know if the girls were still employed, but he urged the Minister to have an investigation made. Mr. H. G. Dickie (Co., Patea) said he knew of no women being employed in the slaughtering department;- they were employed in the bag-making department. He did not think any reputable firm would employ women in the slaughtering department. Mr. A. D. McLeod (Co., Wairarapa) said he had been informed that no women were employed in the freezing works in Wellington and Hawke’s Bay, but it had been suggested to hint that women were employed in the works in the Auckland province in certain departments where he considered no woman should be employed. NOT THE PROPER PLACE. Mr. Macmillan in reply said the Government had received representations from master butchers, but it was not intended to deal with the retail trade in that Bill. He was advised that no women were working in freezing works except in b.-.g-making or the posting of labels. He was prepared to have an investigation made, but he doubted if that Bill was the proper place to deal with labour conditions. He gave an emphatic denial that .poor, quality meat was going on the Wellington market. He said the inspection was very rigid. Objection could not be taken to meat because it was old.

The Bill , was read a first time and a second time pro forma and referred to the Agricultural, Pastoral and Stock Committee.

The purpose of the Bill is to make better provision for regulating the slaughter of stock intended for export in the interests of the meat export in- ; dustry generally*? Clause -.2 empowers the Minister to fix at any time during the currency of a meat export slaughter--house license the maximum number of stock or the maximum, number of any specified kind or class of stock that may be slaughtered* in a meat export slaughterhouse during any period or periods specified in the notice served by the Minister on the licensee Of the slaughterhouse. For the purpose of any such fixation the Minister may obtain a recommendation from the New Zealand Meat Producers’ ' Board, but shall not be obliged to act in accordance with such recommendation. fixation of Number. Notice of fixation of .the number of stock that may be slaughtered during any period may at any time be amended or revoked. Where any stock is slaughtered contrary to the terms of any notice the licensee of a meat export slaughterhouse shall be liable to a. fine of £4OO for every day on which slock is slaughtered in any period after, the maximum number fixed, for that period has been slaughtered. Clause 3 requires any additions to <?r structural alterations to any meat export slaughterhouse (including all cooling or freezing storage chambers used in connection therewith), and any increase of freezing power are to be .made only with the approval of the Minister, w b° ’is given absolute discretion in the y matter. For . the purpose of determining ’ whether any application for approval of any proposed work should be granted the Minister is required to take into consideration (a) whether there is any economic necessity or justification for the proposed work; (b) the probable or possible effect of the proposed work, if authorised, on the ability of other owners of meat export slaughterhouses to obtain regular supplies of stock sufficient for the reasonable requirements of their business; (c) all other relevant matters as the Minister thinks proper. The penalty for proceeding with any proposed work without having obtained the Minister’s approval thereto is a fine not exceeding £5OO. Clause 4 says the prior approval of the Minister is also required for the erection of new premises for use as a meat export slaughterhouse. Plans and F specifications of proposed new premises must be submitted to the Minister. After taking into consideration the same matters as are applicable to the disposal of an application for authority to make structural alterations of an existing meat export slaughterhouse the Minister may undertake to give his consent to the granting of a meat export slaughterhouse license in respect of proposed new premises, unless in the meantime economic conditions have so altered that the grant of-a new license would not be in the public interest. ON OWNERS’ ACCOUNT. Clause 5 provides that the licensee of every meat export slaughterhouse, while the slaughterhouse is ■ open. for the slaughter of stock for export, must receive for slaughter all stock intended for export offered by the producer who has raised or fattened Such stock. Such stock must be slaughtered and the meat therefrom exported, if the producer so requires, on his behalf and in accordance with such conditions and in consideration of payment by the producer of such charges and allowances and ful 1 filment by the producer of such conditions as may from time to time be approved by the Minister on the recommendation of the Meat Producers’ Board. Notice of the Minister’s approval of such charges, allowances and conditions shall be given in writing to the licensee, and may be of general application, or may relate to any particular stock or any ; particular 1 kind or class of stock. J Similar provisions may be applied by ■ the Minister, on the recommendation of K the board, to require the licensee of a

meat export slaughterhouse to receive, slaughter and handle stock intended for export on behalf of owiiers not being themselves the producers of the stock for export. By similar notice served on the licensee any such notice may apply generally to all such owners or to any specified owner, and may apply generally to all stock intended for export or to any specified stock. Regtflations may be made requiring the making of returns by licensees of meat export slaughterhouses, giving particulars of the names of owners on whose behalf stock is slaughtered, with particulars as to the stock so slaughtered.

Clause 6 empowers the Minister to refuse consent to the grant of a renewal or transfer of a meat export slaughterhouse license if the licensee is convicted of an offence under the Act or fails to comply with any of the conditions approved by the Minister under clause 5 (2), whether in respect to the same or any other slaughterhouse, and without in any way restricting the discretionary powers already possessed, by the Minister under the principal Act or under section 7 of the 1918 amending Act. Under- the principal Act the local authority is authorised to grant licenses in respect cf meat export slaughterhouses, with the approval of the Minister, while under the 1918 amending Act the Minister nu.y refuse consent to the grant, renewal or transfer of any such license if he is of the opinion on such grounds as in his discretion he deems sufficient that the business of the meat export Slaughterhouse has been carried on or is about to be carried on in a manner contrary to the public interest.