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117
This applies at present to meat coming from the following countries :—
Argentine Republic. Holland.
Belgium. New Zealand.
Denmark. United States of America.
A Bill for enforcing the inspection and marking of meat intended for
export was read a first time in the House of Commons of the Dominion of
Canada on the 12th December, 1906.
In November last, on my recommendation, the Sanitary Committee decided
that the whole question of the inspection and marking of foreign and colonial
meat should be the subject of a detailed investigation, for the following
reason.
Having had occasion to report upon the nature of the inspection carried out
in Belgium, Denmark and Holland, full particulars of the regulations in force
in these countries were procured, and representations made from time to
time to the authorities concerned on the Continent with a view to a revision
of their regulations, so as to bring those applying to meat intended for export
to this country into line with the recommendation of our Royal Commission
on Tuberculosis of the 4th April, 1898.
So far as Denmark and Holland are concerned, the authorities there have
made regulations that are now in complete agreement with the recommendation
of the English Commission, including those relating to pigs. With
regard to Belgium, however, up to the present no assurance has been received
that their Government will take similar action, and an illustration of the
necessity for the inquiry referred to above is shown by the fact that the
labels on pigs imported here from that country is valueless as an indication
of the freedom from Tuberculosis in the carcase and organs.
Respecting the nature of the inspection of meat coming from the United
States of America, the Consul.General for that country was kind enough tc
place at my disposal a copy of the Code of Regulations governing meat
inspection now is force issued by the Department of Agriculture.
These are of comparatively recent date, and have in all probability been
brought about in consequence of the disclosures with regard to the stockyards
of Chicago, with which everyone is familiar. These Regulations are made
under the Meat Inspection Amendment Act of the 30th June, 1906, but on
referring to those relating to Tuberculosis in Swine, it appears that the
American Government does not require such a high standard of quality as
obtains in England, and this again is a matter that calls for further enquiry.
Much disturbance of the pig trade has taken place owing to the spread of
Tuberculosis amongst swine in later years. So acute did the matter become
that the Local Government Board directed one of their Medical Staff to
investigate and report on administration in London with regard to meat of
pigs affected with that disease.