COLONIAL MUTTON IN SWITZERLAND.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1135, 24 May 1911, Page 10

COLONIAL MUTTON IN SWITZERLAND.

A SUCCESSFUL SHIPMENT. At last Australian meat lias found its way into Switzerland (writes the London correspondent of the "Sydney Telegraph," under date April 14), a parcel of 400 carcasses of mutton having arrived at Basle at the end of last week. The negotiations for permission for frozen meat to enter tho Confederation commenced eighteen months- ago, when Mr. Coglilan approached the Swiss authorities on the subject. Later on the High Commissioner took the matter up, but last week's shipment was really tho outcome of. the efforts which commenced in 1909. ■ Tho shipment was made by tho British Standard Produce Company, which has for some time past been sending small regular shipments of Australian and New Zealand meat to Italian port*. The parcel of Biutton was sent free from. London to Antwerp by train and mail steamer, and was packed in refrigerated cars on reaching Antwerp, and railed straight, through, to Basle. Some trouble was experienced with the German Customs authorities,, who at first refused to allow the meat to pass through Gorman territory, but ultimately this difficulty was overcome by obtaining the "visa" of the German Consul at Antwerp to. the documents. "Other shipments have been sent to Switzerland this week, 25 tons of beef being forwarded via Antwerp, and 25 tons of mutton and lamb via Boulogne—the latter going through France. . The meat is distributed from Basle, Zurich, and Lausanne. Reports received from these ■ centres say-that the'meat arrived in excellent condition, and gave great satisfaction to the consignees. Now that' the trade has been inaugurated, there is reason to believe that it will grow stead- . iThc hotel proprietors throughout Switzerland welcome this addition to their food supplies, and the English and American visitors will be delighted, for up till now it has hardly been possible to get. decent meat in Switzerland—or, for the matter of that, in any- Continental country.