PRESERVED MEATS REQUIRED BY INDIAN GOVERNMENT (PAPERS RESPECTING).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1887 Session II, H-16

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Sess. 11.—1887. NEW ZEALAND.

PRESERVED MEATS REQUIRED BY INDIAN GOVERNMENT (PAPERS RESPECTING).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

The Officiating Seceetaey, Government of India, to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaey, New Zealand. Sic, — Government of India, Military Department, Simla, 29th October, 1887. I am desired by His Excellency the Governor-General in Council to forward for general information the accompanying memorandum on preserved meats, and to request that it may be published in the local newspapers as extensively as possible. I have, &c, E. Collen, Officiating Secretary, Government of India. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, New Zealand.

Memoeandum by the Commissaey-Genebal-in-Chief in India. In consequence of the favourable reports received regarding the Australian and New Zealand preserved meats, the Government of India ruled that our future requirements should, whenever possible, be met by importation from the colonies. 2. A paragraph to this effect which appeared in the English papers was copied by colonial papers, and communications are therefore being frequently received from Australia and New Zealand on the subject. 3. To all such letters detailed replies have been sent showing exactly what We should require, and the conditions under which a demand would be likely to arise; but, as letters continue to be received written without the requisite knowledge of the exact nature of our wants, the following note has been prepared for general information. Circumstances tinder which a Demand for Tinned Meats would arise. 4. It is very desirable that colonial shippers should bear in mind that the regular demand for tinned meats in India does not exceed 350,0001b. annually. It would only be in anticipation of, or in the event of the actual outbreak of, war, that we should require additional supplies of preserved provisions. 5. Meanwhile we are glad to enter into correspondence with Australian and New Zealand firms to register in this office the quantities which could be readily turned out monthly by each establishment, and the prices at which the meat could be delivered at either Bombay or Calcutta free of all extra charge, so that, in the event of a sudden demand, orders could be sent by wire at the shortest notice. 6. Samples. —Several firms have proposed to send us samples. These will be carefully tried by experienced officers, and the opinions formed thereon will be recorded confidentially in this office for future guidance. It is manifest that such samples should be of the quality which we might confidently expect to receive in compliance with orders. The samples need only be of very moderate size, and should be put up in accordance with the specification at paragraphs 8 and 9. 7. Shippers are specially requested not to forward samples of meats other than those indicated in paragraph 8, or closely approximating thereto. Supplies specially prepared for the use of officers, &c, are quite useless to us. On field-service the officer receives exactly the same ration as the soldier. Description of Meats required. 8. The only kinds of meat required are tinned unsalted beef and tinned unsalted mutton. Corned or similar meat, containing salt, is not suitable for issue in India. The relative proportions of beef and mutton required on each order will be specified at the time, but six-sevenths beef and one-seventh mutton are the usual proportions. The meat should be put up in square or oblong tins, slightly tapering at one end to facilitate the removal of the contents. Each tin must contain one, two, or four pounds of meat net, the meat being well compressed.

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Tinned Meats, how to be packed. 9. If colonial firms will be good enough to bear in mind that every article required in the field must be of suitable weight and size for mule-carriage, they will, recognise the necessity of adhering strictly to the following rules, either when complying with orders or when submitting samples. All tinned meat must be packed in deal-wood boxes. Each box must contain precisely the same number of tins of the same size.' Each full box must be, as nearly as possible—but must not exceed—Bolb. in gross weight. Every box must be Clearly marked with the net contents and size of the tins contained in it. Boxes of meat, to be suited for male-carriage, must be oblong in shape : a square box is unfit for mule-carriage. The approximate dimensions of a box of good shape are given below, but reasonable deviation from this size will not be objected to as long as the boxes are of an oblong shape suited for mule-carriage: Eor 21b. tins, length, 29Jin.; breadth, 14Jin.; depth, 6-Jin. 10. Firms quoting prices should do SO on the clear understanding that such prices will be considered to hold good until formally modified in writing. Alterations in prices already quoted should invariably be sent by registered letter. Prices should include all cost of carriage to Bombay or Calcutta, and this should be distinctly stated. 11. All communications on the above subject should be addressed to the Commissary-General-in-Chief by his official designation only —not by name. The address is, " Commissary-General-in-Chief with the Government of India, via Bombay.*" 12. As several firms have tendered frozen meat, it may be desirable to say that such meat is obviously unsuited for issue on field-service. It has also been decided that it is not practicable to issue frozen meat to troops in India during peace-time. H. P. Hawkes, Colonel, 20th October, 1887, Commissary-General-in-Chief. * Or Calcutta, if a regular mail is established by this route. [Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, nil; printing (1,275 copies), £1 Is.]

Authority: Geoeqe Didsetjey, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBBB.

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