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(1) M.I.N.D .A .L. (Meat Importers National Defence Association Ltd.,) who were responsible
for the transport of meat from the docks to its destination.
(2) M.T.O.L. (Motor Transport Organisation Ltd.) and
(3) Messrs. Perfect Lambert & Co., Ltd.; the Ministry of Food Meat Agent.
All the Cold Stores were taken over and placed under the control of the Chief Cold Store Officer
of the Ministry of Food.
These organisations worked most efficiently and co-operated to a marked degree with the
Port Health Authority. Messrs. Perfect Lambert & Co., Ltd., stationed a Surveyor and an Inspector
at each and every ship discharging meat to examine and report on the condition of the meat
and to carry out surveys in the interest of the Ministry of Food when the occasion arose. The
co-operation of these representatives with the Food Inspectors of this Authority was most effective
in-preventing damaged or unsound meat from leaving the docks.
Arrangements were made in 1940 that all meat requiring to be reconditioned was sent to Messrs.
Swift's Cutting Store in the Victoria Dock, there to be dealt with by skilled butchers but under
the supervision of the Port Health Authority's Inspectors.
These arrangements prevailed until June 1954 when Messrs. Swift & Co., Ltd., found that they
could not carry on reconditioning in the face of their own Company's increased commitments but
agreed to take small quantities as the occasion allowed. The consequence of this was that meat
requiring reconditioning had to be allowed to proceed to various outside stores controlled by the
local authority, a situation that was considered to be most unsatisfactory but, under the circumstances,
unavoidable. In this dilemma the Port of London Authority came generously to our
help through the provision of a modern and well equipped Meat Inspection Shop with tiling, heating
and all the necessary lay-out for the inspection, thawing-out, glanding and reconditioning of meat.
It is understood that the cost to the Port of London Authority was in the neighbourhood of £5,000.
In January 1952 your former Medical Officer of Health re-organised the duties of the inspectorate
in the Royal Docks Group with the result that whereas two whole-time food inspectors had
been working the Group up to this date, the re-arranged duties involved four inspectors carrying
out food inspection duties in addition to their other duties of general sanitation, ship hygiene
and rodent control. The Senior Inspector continued to devote as much as possible of his time
to the duties of food inspection, including the control of the four Cold Stores in the Group and
supervising the reconditioning of damaged and unsound meat, as well as continuing the general
supervision of all the work of the Inspectors and Rodent Staff in the area.
In June 1954 it was found necessary to increase the number of Inspectors by one, this officer
taking over duties of inspecting meat for disease and supervising the reconditioning of damaged
and unsound meat in the dock Cold Stores.
Despite this addition to the staff it was found that after the decontrol of meat the district
Inspectors could not devote as much of their time as they would like and as the situation appeared
to demand, to the inspection of meat on its discharge from ships.
Although the Ministry of Food still had representatives on the dock to inspect the discharge of
meat from ships bearing cargoes consigned to them the bulk of the meat coming into the country
was to the order of private merchants. (Up to the end of 1954 some 90% of the total meat imports
was in the hands of private merchants and it was anticipated that outstanding Ministry of Food
contracts would cease by February, 1955).
It has been estimated that some 75% of all meat imported into this country comes through the
Port of London.
These altered circumstances, while calling for a complete re-organisation affecting the Shipping
Companies, Stevedoring Companies and Transport organisations also affected the Port Health
administration and it had become apparent that this Authority must review its arrangements and
decide what re-organisation was necessary in order to meet the changing circumstances.
(c) From 1955 on
Although it was appreciated that the meat trade would take several months of re-organisation
to meet altered conditions and establish a new policy, it seemed prudent that the Port Health
Authority should benefit by this interval and review its own position with a view to establishing
a more adequate and efficient control of imported meats. The following points were, therefore,
suggested for consideration
(1) Re-arrangements and additions to the existing staff.
(2) Transport.
On the assumption that the previous arrangements were inadequate to meet the demand, it was
suggested that the three District Inspectors should be relieved of the duties of meat inspection
at the ship's side and devote their time to carrying out general food inspection in addition to
their other duties of ship hygiene, rodent control, etc., while the appointed Cold Store Meat
Inspector should carry out full-time duties at No. 6 Cold Store and supervise the examination
and reconditioning of all meat sent to the new Port of London Authority Cutting store referred
to above, as the "Meat Inspection Shop".
It was further suggested that the Senior Inspector should assume full responsibility for the
inspection of all meat landed from ships, this to be his only duty apart from his continued
responsibility to supervise all the work carried by the Sanitary Inspectors and the Rodent Staff
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