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Conference to consider the Meat Supply of the Kingdom
and the present restrictions on the importation of
Live Cattle for Slaughter.
The Greenwich Borough Council directed attention to the danger of
the Foreign Beef supply of this country being ultimately controlled by a
few American Companies, owing to the fact that live cattle can be imported
into this country from North America only, and that these Companies
control practically the whole of the live cattle trade, and had also acquired
some of the larger undertakings for chilling and shipping beef from
Argentina.
It was suggested that the present restrictions on the importation of
live cattle should be removed to admit of their importation, for slaughter
at the port of landing, from countries officially declared free from disease.
A Conference on the subject was convened, and the Public Health
and Housing Committee appointed the then Chairman, Mr. A. H. Darby,
with the Medical Officer of Health, to attend the Conference.
The following resolution was adopted at the Conference of the
Metropolitan Borough Councils, convened by the Greenwich Borough
Council, at the Caxton Hall, Westminster, on the 12th October, on the
subject of the meat supply of the Kingdom, viz.:—
"This Conference, after carefully considering the information
at its disposal, and bearing in mind the conclusions arrived at by
the Departmental Committee appointed to inquire into combinations
in the meat trade and also the serious rise which has taken
place in the price of beef in the past two years, is of opinion that
the meat supply of the Metropolis is in an extremely unsatisfactory
position.
"This Conference is further of opinion that owing to the failure
of the home supply to increase in proportion to the national
demand, the decrease in the numbers of live cattle imported and
the increased necessity of depending upon the supplies of chilled
and frozen meat, it is easier for the trade to be effectually
controlled by large and powerful Trusts or Combinations of
Companies.
"This Conference is further of opinion that the time has
arrived when the needs of large Urban Communities, which have