Government Grading in Victorian Meat Trade.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 475, 16 July 1902, Page 2

Government Grading in Victorian Meat Trade.

At the recent Conference in Wellington, on the frozen meat trado, some strong references wero made to the Government grading of frozen moat in several of the Australian States. Mr Waymouth asserted that as carried out at present tho Government grading in Victoria permitted lambs weighing from 121 b to 201 b to go on the market, and moat to go Homo to bo declared there as unfit for human food. 11 It bad,* ho said, “ practically ruined tho Victorian meat trade." Mr Gilbert Anderson spoke to the .same effect, declaring that the practice was doing incalculable injury to tho trade os a whole. Tho matter has lately formed the subject of enquiry by Mr Wailaco, thri Victorian Director of Agriculture, and his r report to tho Minister of Agriculture is not calculated to inspire the London market with much confidence in Government grading. Tho actual percentage of Victorian carcases condemned in Smithfield is not very great, confidential reports given to Mr Wallace by Melbourne shippers showing that out of 180,197 lambs sent away, 831 or less than i per cent., were condemned in England as being unfit- for food. Further returns have been promised, and these may show a rather worse percentage. In any case, as Mr Wailaco says, if these lambs can Oe condemned fn London, there is no reason why they should bo allowed to leave Victoria. The inspector, however, holds that he cannot refuse a certificate if the lambs at the time of shipment are fit for human consumption, nor does Mr Wallace think he would be justified in refusing to pass carcases because they were undulyjlight. “No farmer,” ho says, -• intends to have thin lambs; they arc the product of bad seasons, and we ought to be thankful that there is a market open for them. ... . As to the advisibility of stopping the trade in lean iambs, there are no powers vested in the Department of Agriculture for the purpose ; nor do I think it would be wise to ask for them." It is unfortunate that a person in Mr Wallace’s position should give utterance to such short-sighted views, which ignore the undoubted effect that tho shipment of lambs such as he described must have upon the trade in Victorian meat. As to the Government brand, Mr Wallace says that four of the freezing works, other than tho Government Coo' Stores, do not use it, and do not want it, while one company has been allowed ta * J attach it to every lamb in the shir--. “ The brand is stamped on the ba- i . which the carcase is shipped, and in c <h..; latter case no unstamped bags were i i the company’s possession.” He admits that grading, as at present done' at the Government Cool Stores, cannot be thor. oughiy satisfactory. “ The carcases are . . . . graded into three lots, prime to receive the Government brand thin lambs to go without the hr-' and those unfit for shipment. !■.. .j is evidence that thin lamds have gone to England bearing the Government brand. The brand, in my opinion, should either be given up, as it has at present no commercial value, or a thorough inspection should be instituted. In this resDect Mr Wallace takes up a far more reasonable position than with regard to the shipment to London of poverty-stricken carcases. The Government brand should undoubtedly be a certificate of quality,, or it should be abolished, At present it ig worse tn*n useless,—Press.