GERMANY'S MEAT FAMINE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 69, 14 November 1912, Page 4

GERMANY'S MEAT FAMINE.

The London correspondent of tlio Christchurch “Press” states that the promised scheme of the Prussan Government for the relief of the distress caused by the high price of meat, is disappointing to those who were optimistic enough to expect the admission of frozen meat. The new regulations enact that fresh beef may he im-

ported from Russia, and fresh bed and pork from Sorv.a, Roumania, and Bulgaria, to German towns which are the markets for largo districts, provided that the flesh so imported bo sold to the- consumer at. the lowest possible prices. Fresh pork Irom Russia may also be imported to certain towns in East Germany, where it is believed that the necessity lor this step exists. Cattle for slaughter maybe imported from the Netherlands to the large towns that are supplied with public slaughter-houses of a suitable character and under the sanitary regulations which exist at present tor the import of swine from Austria-Hun-gary. The prohibition of fresh heel

from Belgium is to he abolished, and in Upper Silesia Russian swine may he imported into the manufacturing districts in case of necessity. Finally, a Bil] will ho promoted in the Reichstag, entitling local authorities who import foreign meat and sell it directly to the consumer to a large rebate on the existing Customs duties. ft is intended that the law, when passed, . shall remain in force until March 31st, 1914, and take effect as from October i Ist of the present year. The local authorities are advised to presume that I the Bill will become law,'and to open accounts with the Customs authorities'! on’ the assumption that they will not j have to pay them. It is stated, that ; this measure will enable local author;-1

ties to import frozen mutton as well | as fresh meat, because frozen mutton i can be imported without an infringe-1 meat of the law regarding the inspcc- j tion of . meat, and the reduction of Customs duties will make important on profltablq. The main proposal which the Government has rejected is the importation of frozen beef. It has been decided that, on grounds of public health, the provisions which practically exclude frozen beef cannot be suspended. It may be explained that the Government stall insist on frozen carcases containing the internal organs, so as to make the detection of disease more easy, but they have made two or three ’ slight changes in the methods of inspection, and a slight reduction of the import duty, The effect of the scheme will not be great, and the people will have to agitate still further if they wish to improve the situation. .Experts in the best position to estimate the effect of the new regulations do not expect any great change. There is no attempt tc abolish the existing drastic frontier regulations, and so long as the free importation of frozen meat from the Argentine Republic and Australasia ic hampered by severe meat inspection laws, and the import duty is not wholly removed, all the patchwork measure;: in the world will not wholly remove the distress.