SALE OF PORK.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10263, 15 June 1911, Page 4

SALE OF PORK.

Friction has arisen between Wellington butchers and the veterinary branch of the Department of Agriculture .in .regard to the sale of pork. Under the slaughtering and. Inspection Act swine are not included in the provision under .which meat intended 'for .human consumption - imust be killed at an abattoir. It has been recognised, however, by city butchers that it is just as necessary to have pork inspected as beef or mutton, and it (has therefore ibeen the custom for some time past to withhold the pork from sale on the retailer's premises until it has passed' the inspector. The butchers now complain that they have (received an intimation from the inspector that if on inspection tihe pork is found to be diseased, ithey will be prosecuted for exposing for sale meat unfit for human consumption. In reply, the Veterinary Department points out first that the whole of the trouble could be easily avoided ill' the swine were killed at the a'battoirs under (the eye of the inspector; and, secondly, that the Department is not so unreasonable as to prosecute in a case where a butcher hod set aside a carcase for inspection and it was found ifco be diseased. If, however, the carcase was cut up ready for isale the case miigiht be different. It is understood that the retail butchers are considering the question of interviewing the Minister for Agriculture on ibhe subject."