"CONTRARY TO FACT."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 11110, 6 May 1911, Page 8

"CONTRARY TO FACT."

STATEMENTS ABOUT OUR EXPORT MEAT. "A groat deal liss been said as to the effect of tho dry season upon tho quality of the meat exported tins season," "said Mr. W. Howard Booth, at the P. and A. meeting at Carterton yesterday, "and it has been said that quantities of both mutton and lamb have been shipped which should not have left New Zealand. If tho term 'quality' is taken in tho wider sense of covering all grades, then there is no doubt that tho dry weather has deteriorated the average of our export; but tho statement that carcasses have been shipped which ought not to have gone is incredible —shall I say ridiculous —as the Government inspectors exorcise a close scrutiny of. and would have prohibited iho freezing of such animals. "I happen to be a director of a.freezing company," said Mr. W. C. Buchanan, M.P. "There have been references in a paper to the quality and also to tho grading. Willi regard to tho quality, I don't think it is necessary to do anything more than to ask you to read the cables in the newspapers and compare our figures with Argentine's

and Australia's. We liavc always been in the front, and are. in tho front this year." As to the grading, continued the speaker, the men employed in the work hud had many years' experience, and it was nonsense to say that, the country had been sending to England meat which should not havo been shipped. "It is not so. It is contrary to tacts." Some people advocated Government grading for meat. Government grading had done, a lot for dairying, but meat was very;, different from dairy produce. Tlio highest officials, in the Government service knew that if tho Government took over the grading they could not do the work as well as' the freezing companies were, doing it.