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102
Improved pastoral conditions in Australia have done something to remedy
the disastrous effects of the drought, but the number of carcasses placed on the
market has not yet reached the normal level. Consignments from this
quarter show a marked improvement in quality, and the beef in particular left
little to be desired.
Australia, which created the exportation of meat, continues the active
competition with the New Zealand trade in lamb referred to in last year's
Report, when some high-class shipments from Melbourne were noted.
The Danish supply to the market, although not large, has certainly been
of such a character as to indicate laxity of supervision on the part of the
authorities abroad. Some years ago an arrangement was made with the
Danish authorities for them to inspect and label all meat intended for export,
but so much unsound meat was passed in this manner that your Medical
Officer of Health made the matter a subject of a special Report to the
Sanitary Committee, in which it was pointed out that unless the Danish label
can be accepted as an absolute guarantee, there are grave objections to its use,
inasmuch as it might furnish a ground of defence should proceedings be
instituted against any person in this country dealing in diseased meat bearing
an official guarantee as to soundness.
The Committee adopted the suggestion contained in this Report, that the
attention of the Danish Government be directed to the facts, and that the
return of labels found on unsound meat as arranged should be discontinued.*
Twelve months ago it appeared likely that there would be increased supplies
of Russian pork. These expectations have not been fulfilled, while the
imports of beef from that country have ceased altogether.
The system of voluntary inspection by Government of meat intended for
export from the Netherlands is spreading and is now in operation in the
following places: Rotterdam, Hook of Holland, Flushing, (Vlissingen),
Eindhoven, Harlingen, Oss, and Assen. On the 15th March another
inspection service will come in operation at Nieuwerkerk a/d Yssel.
About 80 per cent. of the pork exported from the Netherlands is submitted
for the inspection by the Government experts, nearly the whole of which
finds its way into the London City market, where the result is quite
satisfactory. Of the marked carcasses seized by your officers, by far the
greater part have been those of animals which have been insufficiently rested
before slaughter, and which will always present difficulties of no mean order
to the officer who examines them immediately after slaughter ; they appear
then perfectly sound, but owing to the abnormal condition of the blood very
rapid changes take place post-mortem, so that they appear at Smithfield in a
state in which it would be impossible for your officers to allow them to pass
into consumption.
* Since the above was written the Danish Ministry have issued fresh instructions which, if strictly
carried into effect, will meet the difficulty.