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54
This Order of the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries is the logical outcome
of the Public Health (Meat) Regulations, 1924, of the Ministry of Health in so far
as these dealt with the slaughtering of cattle. Part II.—7 (1) (2) provides that
(1) "This part of these Regulations shall not apply so as to interfere with the
operation or effect of the Diseases of Animals' Acts, 1894 to 1922, or of any Order,
Licence or Act of the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries made, granted or done
thereunder.
(2) Articles 8, 9, 10 and 11 of these Regulations shall not apply where the
slaughter takes place in a slaughter-house under the management of a Local
Authority."
The slaughter of tuberculous cattle, where the carcases are proposed to be
used for human consumption, is brought into line by the above Order.
THE PUBLIC HEALTH (IMPORTED FOOD) REGULATIONS, 1925.
Foreign Fats.
Under the Public Health (Imported Food) Regulations, 1925, the definition of
meat "includes" any edible part of a pig or of cattle or a substance, compound,
material or article of which an edible part of a pig or of cattle is an ingredient."
Thus "lard, dripping, edible tallow and similar rendered fats" are " meat"
The second schedule of the Regulations details "Conditionally Admissible
Meat." Item (b) of the second schedule comprises "lard, dripping, tallow and
similar rendered fats."
Part III.—Oversea Meat.—Section II. Sub.-Sec. (4) imposes the following
duty:—"If the Medical Officer of Health is of opinion that any oversea meat
comprises Conditionally Admissible Meat without an Official Certificate, he shall
by notice forbid the removal of the meat for any purpose other than exportation."
An "Official Certificate" means a certificate, label, mark, stamp or other
voucher affixed to oversea meat or a package containing such meat by a competent
authority in the country of export and which is recognised by the Minister of
Health as evidence of freedom from disease in the animal of derivation of the
meat and of dressing, preparing and packing with all necessary public health
precautions.
Thus uncertificated fat from Overseas is liable to export notice on arrival and
to a stop which confines it to the place of "delivery or landing" from a ship
(definition: "Article of Food ").
An article of food should in the nature of things be edible. The dividing line
between inedible and edible tallow has breadth and also mobility to the left or
right according to stocks, the market, public taste or want of the same, and the
capability of the refiners. In fact the line does not exist. Material which on the
face of it is edible is used freely in manufacturing processes and material which
with broad criteria is inedible on examination is, in fact, eaten. "Edible" with
regard to tallows cannot be defined and misunderstandings between importers and
your Medical Officer of necessity arose.
The subject of control of imported fats is new. The first effective step is that
enjoined by the Foreign Meat Regulations and a machinery for complete control is
foreshadowed in the following letter, which brought the matter to the attention of
importers. To those importers who fall in with the arrangements made, little
difficulty and delay will eventually arise.
Two guarantees are required:—
(1) That material under notice of export will not be removed from the
agreed place of deposit except for purpose of export unless used
for manufacturing purposes apart from food.
(2) In case of this latter manufacture the guarantee of the manufacturer.
All uncertificated material, as in item (b) of the schedule, entering the port is
placed under the Order of Export and held pending acceptable assurance of the
1st guarantee.
On deposit in the place of guarantee, release only takes place for export or,
on receipt of the 2nd guarantee, for commercial use.