CHINESE EGGS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2899, 11 October 1916, Page 3

CHINESE EGGS

POULTRY FARMERS' COMPLAINT

'THEIR INDUSTRY MENACED

A complaint against the importation of Asiatic eggs in bulk was made by a deputation rspresentmg the New Zealand Poultry Association, which waited upon tho Minister of Agrioulture (the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald) yesterday morning. These eggs from China are used in the baking trade. Tho yolks como in casks, and the whites, desiccated, como separate from tho yolks, also in bulk. Mr. L. M. Isitt, M.P., in introducing the deputation, said that unless the importation of these eggs were restricted the poultry industry in New Zealand would be destroyed as soon as freights fell again after the war. Mr. J. B. Merrett said that the Government had spent thousands of pounds in developing the poultry industry of the Dominion, and only recently two additional instructors had been appointed. What the Government had done had been the means of encouraging a number of people to invest their capital in the industry, which was responsible for the consumption of about one-third of the wheat production, and also paid very heavy Customs duties on incubators, brooders, and so on. It came, therefore, as a great surprise to them the other day when the Minister of Public Health (Hon. G. W. Russell) told them that the Department of Agriculture had recommended the importation of these yolks. Mr. Merrett added that the secret of the preservation of these yolks was a German one. After tho war broke out they began to come in from Shanghai, through Gorman, banks and officials.

The Minister: Not now. Mr. Merrett said tliat_ tlio Puro Foot! Act contained a provision against tlio use in the manufacture of pastry, cakes, etc., of any dried or desiccaicd eggs preserved in. a preservative, but that provision had never been carried into effect. The bakers had all along been breaking tlio regulations, "and in 1911 a German agent iras able to got tlio a6suranco of the Department that bakers would not bo prosecuted for «6ing such eggs, though tho association had a legal opinion that 6uch was a breach of the Act and of the regulations. The eggs which camo over in yolk and white form _ wholesale wcro produced very cheaply in China, and consisted of eggs of all sorts—sea birds, wild birds, all sorts of birds, gathered from all quarters. They wore all mixed up in tho barrels, holding about 10,001). yolks cach. Tho deputation asked that suoh eggs should not be allowed to be used as an article of food ■under"'the Act. If that industry was allowed to grow the merchant would rule tho market, and tho poultry industry would be ruined. , Tho.Minister, in replying, fiaid ho had been looking into tho question for somo considerable time, and he was not prepared at present to say how far they could go without legislation. He would get advico from tho Solicitor-General on the subject, if the Government agreed to that couiisc. Tliey were, ho said, in a very difficult position at the present time. Ono section of tho people wero looking to tho Government to reduco the cost of living, and another scction asked that tho importation of foods should be stopped. One section tried to stop tho importation of tomatoes from the Islands and now another tried to stop the importation of Asiatic eggs, and immediately the Government took action another deputation' came along and said it was trying to ruin their business. Had tho deputation any objection to the American eggs being imported? Mr. Merrett: We have no objection. The Minister 6aid he wa3 quite prepared to recognise the importance of the poultry industry. Ever since he Iwd been the Minister of Agriculture they had improved tho conditions at the experimental stations. Anyone who had read the recent casualty lists must see that wo must make provision for our men when they return. The poultry industry Tvas one in which many could engage, and he wjis prepared to look 'Carefully into th'» wliola question',. As to tho Pure Tood Act, he would point out-to tho Solicitor-Generarth'e'sectioii.to which reference had been made. The poultry industry, he added, would be far more important than ever before in the next few years,