The Waikato Times, THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE, AND KAWHIA ADVOCATE. Established Thirty-Four Years. THE OLDEST DAILY NEWSPAPER IN THE WAIKATO. THE LARGEST CIRCULATION OF ANY DAILY PAPER SOUTH OF AUCKLAND. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1906. THE GRADING OF MEAT.

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8017, 24 September 1906, Page 2

The Waikato Times, THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE, AND KAWHIA ADVOCATE. Established Thirty-Four Years. THE OLDEST DAILY NEWSPAPER IN THE WAIKATO. THE LARGEST CIRCULATION OF ANY DAILY PAPER SOUTH OF AUCKLAND. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1906. THE GRADING OF MEAT.

Perhaps the most important and interesting paragraph in this issue is the insignificant looking one announcing that Sir Joseph Ward hag prepared a Bill providing that meat, rabbits, hares and eggs be brought under the provisions of "The Produce for Export Act 1903," by which the system of grading now carried on in connection with flax and butter will be extended to the commodities mentioned. The effect will of course be most far-reaching as regards meat, and we propose to deal briefly with that aspect. There is no doubt whatever that the system has proved of immense benefit to the export trades already included, and there appears to be no reasoa why the departure in question should not bear equally happy results. At this juncture special interest attaches to a letter written the other day by Mr R. S. Abraham, of the well-known stock firm of Abraham and Williams, to the Manawatu A. and P, Association. His views demand the serious attention of all connected with the frozen meat export trade, for though there may be a difference as to details, it is evident that a state of things exists which needs immediate remedy. The first point made out is that the various freezing companies have each different standards, so that uniformity throughout the trade is impossible, leading to most unsatisfactory shuffling by means of the arbitration clause in the shipping agreements, which, theoretically sound, is practically unworkable because of buyers being in a position to offer much more constant employment to the professional abitrator, who naturally is inclined to favour in his decisions the large man on the spot rather than a small shipper in a distant part of the world. At present the c.i.f. shipper has to rely solely on the hope that the market shows an upward tendency before his meat reaches London, for a fall causes disputes and frivolous pretexts for the rejection of cargoes on the grouuds of inferior quality. These disabilities would be done away with were recognised official grading in force, as sales would be effected at so much for each grade. The examination would be made in the works after killing, whereas now the live sheep is classed, the only distinction made after slaughtering being in the " light " and " heavy," with, of course, rpjectious by the butcher or the "vet. " of " bruised " and "deseased." Opposition to the proposal has been anticipated by some on the part of these companies, which, by careful grading have established their par. ticular brands on the London market, on the ground that a levelling process would result, but we think this a mistaken idea, because, if properly carried out, no levelling need be attempted; the present high quality should be required and retained, and only mutton fulfilling this should be graded "No 1 "or "A," as the case may be- inferior would receive lower designations. A suggestion has been made that any company wishing to have meat classed at a higher grade than provided for by the Act, could have such if the quality merited it. To repeat, did grading of butter and flax tend to lower the standard of theso exports? On the contrary, was it not the cause of a marked improvement? Only the other day we published a testimony as to its beneficial results from Mr Joseph Knight, the Victorian Commissioner who visited the colony for the purpose of making investigations on the subject. Really we can see no cogent reason for doubting the efficiency of the system, if honestly tried ; on the other hand, everything points to the opposite, and we are sure the innovation will be received with delight by producer, seller and consumer.