The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 1888. Tinkering with Trade

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 28, 16 August 1888, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 1888. Tinkering with Trade

We learn that Mr Hutchison is urging the Government to consider the advisability of introducing next session a Bill having for its object the enforcing of uniformity in marking frozen beef and mutton exported from the colony, so as to prevent frauds in the English markets. We hope the Government will have the sense to leave the matter in the hands of the mercantile community, who are far better qualified to judge and act in an affair of this kind, than either youthful legislators or experienced politicians. It is this> sort of unjustifiable meddling and muddling in Parliament, with things the members know little or nothing of either individually or collectively, which brings them into contempt. Even supposing a new and peculiar brand were placed on New Zealand frozen meat, the English traders would, after the arrival of the first shipment, have imitations in the market which would defy detection by the most ex« pert purchaser. Perhaps Mr Hutchison has in his mind the plan of the English Admiralty Stores Department, which has a known thread running through every yard of canvass, cable, rope or even spun-yarn, so that any of these, in whole or in part, may be identified if lost or stolen. The knowledge possessed by stock breeders is becoming greater every, day, and it is within the limits of possibility, that aided by chemical science, a course of treatment may be discovered by following which a strain could be introduced by which the flesh, bones, and adipose matter of our cattle and sheep were so tinted, or flavored, as to render each and all of them so far different from other similar substances, that fraudulont imitation would be rendered impossible. Physical peculiarities we know were easily transmitted, even to the fourth and fifth generatious in the dark ages, therefore in this more enlightened age, they might be scut down for forty of fifty generations where necessary and requisite ; but we fear we are becoming philosophical. What we are desirous of conreyiug to our readers is the strong objection we have to grandmotherly legislation. Le* politicians amuse themselves in their own litt'e way by fighting for places on the Treasury benches and the emoluments to be found there, but let them leave things alone which require judgment, deseretion, aud common sense, to bring to a successful and profitable issue.