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40
INSPECTION OF FOOD.
Meat.
I append a chart showing the movement of the imports of frozen mutton
and lamb from the Colonies and Argentine Republic during ten years to the
31st December, 1902, in terms of the number of carcasses brought into this
Port for each of the years mentioned. From this it will be seen that the total
imports of frozen mutton and lamb is practically the same in 1902 as for the
preceding year. On referring to the chart showing the imports from each
country, it will be noticed, however, that the imports from Australia suffered
a remarkable deficiency, being approximately about one half that of the preceding
year, and falling to the level of ten years ago. This deficiency from Australia
was, however, compensated for by the increased imports from New Zealand and
from the River Plate. With reference to the Argentine Republic, it will, of
course, be remembered that the importation of live cattle and sheep from that
Republic was entirely prohibited during the year 1902.
The popular impression was that this prohibition would affect the supply of
meat to this country. It is interesting, therefore, and important, from a
public health point of view, to note that this result was not achieved. From
a Report issued by Messrs. W. Weddell and Co., it appears that the prohibition
of live cattle and sheep from South America may be said to have had no
effect on the quantity of meat imported, inasmuch as the increased exports
from the Argentine Republic in the form of frozen meat more than equalled
the food equivalent of live cattle and sheep formerly imported into this country
from Argentina. Moreover, the prices at which frozen or chilled meat can be
sold in this country are much lower than when it arrives in the shape of live
animals. The bearing of this upon the public health will be noticed in
reference to my remarks on Enteric Fever, where it is shown that the decrease
in the number of cases of this dangerous infectious disease introduced into this
country during the past year was to an extent owing to the withdrawal of the
tramp cattle steamers from the trade of the Port, so that the temporary prohibition
of live cattle not only protected the country from cattle disease, but from
infectious diseases dangerous to the community, and this without diminishing
the quantity of meat imported or increasing the price. The total imports of
meat from the Argentine Republic during 1902 were 113,812 tons, as against
102,172 tons in 1901, a difference of 10'22 per cent.
The deficiency in the Australian imports was, of course, due to the severe
drought, and further to a large demand for frozen meat in South Africa.
There was at the same time a considerable increase in the amount of meat
received from the Continent of Europe, the total imports being 29,149 tons,
as against 20,738 tons in 1901.
The number of seizures of Unsound Food amounted to 447 (see
Appendix J). The number is somewhat less than the preceding year (Table