Britain's Viewpoint On Boner Beef

Chronicle (Levin), 1 February 1949, Page 5

Britain's Viewpoint On Boner Beef

WELLINGTON, Jan. 3T. A statement issued bv the offiee of the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom, says that several Dominion newspapers reeently eariied a report of remarks made >>y \ ari. ms speakers at q. meeting on Januarv LN of the dairy seetion of Manawata Eederated Fan'iners, complaining of the refusal of the British Minister of Food to take boner beef under the most recent Fnited Kingdcnn-Doniini'on coiitract. The suggestion. as report.'d. was that when the people of Dritain were redueed to eating horseilesh. boner beef should be good enough. for thern if it were good enough for New Zeaianders. This suggestion, says the statement, does not aeeord with the iTyts of the present situation. During the 1914-43 season a grade known as fair average quality eow beef was established at the instance of the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board acting on behalf of pro ducers. The British Ministry of Food is quite happy to take this meat for lnanufaeturing purposes Iml on occasion it has had to be used in an emergeney for meeting ordinary rationing requireinents. This meat, wlien issued as rationed meat, was not satisfactory. Moreover, the sale 011 ration of f.a.q. New Zealand eow beef did harm to New Zealand 's reputatioir for supplying high quality' meat. Therefore, when the 1948-49 eontraet was being arranged in UiepUnited Kingdom, it was mutually agreed to abolish the grade of f.a.q. eow beef. However, this decision does not affect in the least degree, the quantitv of meat sold to Britain, because what was formerly classilied ■ f.a.q. eow beef, now goes as boneless ( beef and Britain is purehasing every . ounee of boneless meat New Zealand ean sell her. 1 The High Fommissioner 's offiee state- - nient adds that the statements reported 1 also copvey the impressiou that Britain ■ is not taking f.a.q. beef of any kincl. Tbe faet is Britain is continuing te ' take f.a.q. quality for both. ox and . heifer beef. Horse meat, like whale ! mqftt, is not supplied against the Bri- ] tisli xation. " ]