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food. If there is the slightest trace of disease beyond the head the whole carcase and organs are condemned.
Under the Foreign Meat Regulations, only carcases free from disease are exported ; those affected
in the region of the head are used for local consumption.
Branding.—All carcases after examination are branded with an approved brand for particular
district and those slaughtered for export are labelled, therefore there is no difficulty in ascertaining
from which abattoir or meat export works a particular carcase may have come and by whom it was
examined. COMPENSATION.
Compensation is paid by the New Zealand Government for condemned carcases as follows:—
Heifers and bullocks not exceeding 8 years One penny per pound dressed weight of the
old and in every case of not less value than carcase, not including the head or any part of
(three pounds) £3 per head, lambs and sheep the animal below the knee or hock.
(other than rams) not exceeding five years of
age, and in every case of not less than 10s. per
head.
Pigs of not more than 200 lbs. Two pence per lb. dressed weight not
cluding the head.
Pigs of more than 200 lbs. One penny per lb. dressed weight not
cluding the head.
Cows, not exceeding ten years of age, and not Three farthings per lb. dressed weight of
of less value than £3 per head. meat condemned not including the head or any
part of the carcase below the knee or hock.
The amount expended under this head for the year ending 31st March, 1919, was £10,888 2s. lOd.
In addition to the above 3,667 head of cattle were condemned and destroyed on account of disease
either on the farms or at saleyards, for which £11,549 18s. 9d. was paid by the State in compensation.
SLAUGHTERING FEES.
Under the Slaughtering and Inspection Act a charge is made for the examination of all carcases
killed in the meat export slaughterhouses and abattoirs as follows:—
For every head of cattle Four pence.
For every twelve (or fraction of twelve) calves, sheep or pigs Three pence.
The amount received under this head during the year ending 31st March, 1919, was £14,962.
All public abattoirs are registered and meat export slaughterhouses licensed, the license for a
meat export slaughterhouse has to be renewed annually, no license is renewable without the consent
of the Minister of Agriculture, and he may refuse his consent if he is of opinion that the business of any
meat export slaughterhouse has been carried on, or is about to be carried on, in a manner prejudicial
to the public interest.
I would suggest such a procedure in connection with all cold stores within the City of London.
I was very much impressed by the way the public abattoirs were conducted. In each case a veterinary
inspector is in charge, assisted by lay meat inspectors. All carcases and their organs are most
carefully examined and if free from disease are stamped on each quarter as having been passed. All
towns with a population of two thousand must provide a public abattoir; this has to be erected by the
Local Authority, and outside a district where an abattoir is established all slaughterhouses must be
registered by the Local Authority, and licensed with the approval of the Minister for Agriculture.
Inspection is then provided for, and all carcases slaughtered are subject to inspection, and are
accordingly branded with a brand approved for the district. Therefore all meat, exposed or offered
for sale throughout New Zealand, has been slaughtered under the supervision of the Government
meat inspectors and passed as fit for human food.
RECORDS.
By Section 32 of the Slaughtering and Inspection Act, 1908, records are kept not only by the
Government official, but the licensee of every slaughterhouse or meat export slaughterhouse must
record in a book and make returns of all stock slaughtered each day, stating:—
(a) The number, species, and sex of such stock.
(b) The name, occupation, and address of the owner of such stock, or if the licensee is the
owner then the person from whom, and the date on which he took delivery of same.
In the case of a slaughterhouse the colour and earmark of such head of cattle and
sheep must be recorded.
No calf of a less dressed weight than sixty pounds including the skin is allowed to be sold and
" blowing " is absolutely prohibited.
TRAINING OF MEAT INSPECTORS.
All meat inspectors are trained by the department. Suitable men, preferably with a knowledge
of the meat trade, are taken on a period of probation after which time they have to pass a qualifying
examination before a Government veterinarian; this is both written and practical and from what I
could learn is a similar examination to that which is held by the Royal Sanitary Institute. Proper
offices and accommodation are provided at all meat export slaughterhouses and abattoirs for the
Government inspectors.
I consider meat inspection as carried out in the Dominion to be excellent and we in this country
can with perfect safety accept their certificate as a guarantee that not only is the carcase to which it
is attached free from disease, but has been slaughtered under the best hygenic conditions. I would
desire here to express my satisfaction with all I saw and to thank all those gentlemen with whom I
came in contact for their personal kindness and for the information which was at all times freely given.
It is needless to say that the experience gained during may visit to New Zealand will prove of great
value to me as an official of the Corporation of the City of London."
F