The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-07-24 00:00:00

A SUGGESTION REPEATED.

The Tinies has published the following letter:—

Sir,—On the 3rd ult. I addressed a letter to you
which you did me the honour to insert, suggesting the
creation by the Government of a workman's trust
fund, to which all workmen and employers should
be required to contribute a weekly sum to provide
assistance in cases of accident, either fatal or other-
wise. No •stronger illustration of the necessity for
such a fund could be afforded than the recent lament-
able colliery explosion at North Risen, where upwards
of 117 men have been killed, and where many of those
dependent upon them for support are doubtless left
destitute. These unfortunate people have either to
look to the workhouse or the public for aid, instead of
having a secured Government fund to fall back upon.
I again venture to call attention o this most im-
portant question, which affecting all classes of the
community, ought to be undertaken by. the governinr,
a
authorities, and until so undertakenle, m my opinion,
a:failure of duty to the working clams of the doulltrY.
—I aro, Sir, Your obedient servant JOIN A.3:BA
'Groat CluoYgoltreeb, Weettanagr, july

THE SUPPLY OF FOREIGN MEAT.

aerattation, including representatives of the Town
Councils of Manchester, Salford, Leeds, Ashton-under-1,30e,
Burnley, Bolton, Sheflield, Peterborough, Birmingham, and
of various butchers' and dattle trade associations, had an
interview on Monday with Earl Spencer, President of the
ooncerning the restrictions upon the import of
foreign cattle, to which Mr. Arthur Arnold, M.P., is to call
attention in the House of Commons on August 6.

Mr. Jacob Bright, M.P. (who was accompanied by
Mr. Mundella, M.P.), in introducing the deputation
to Earl Spenper, said that they came to state the
strong objections they entertained to the restrictions
which now existed on the importation of meat. They
believed that those restrictions limited the quantity
and at the same time deteriorated the quality of this
important class of food. There was a wide feeling as
to those restrictions, and particularly as to American
cattle. It was held that they came into this country
in a condition more healthy on the average than the
cattle of this kingdom. The disease of pleuro-pneu-
monia, which was the reason why American cattle
were not allowed to come in, did not exist in America
at all. The members of the deputation would speak
upon these points.
Mr. John Whitehead, of Leeds, President of the
Foreign Cattle Trade Association, said he repre-
sented the butchers of more than 40 towns in the
Midland counties, and gave statistics to show why the
restrictions complained of should be removed. In the
year 1879 there had been a depreciation in the number
of English sheep and cattle of 1,322,865, and seeing
that the British farmer could not produce meat enough
for the consumption of the people, there was an abso-
lute necessity that the Privy Council should, if pos-
sible, remove undue restrictions upon foreign sup-
plies. Out of 76,117 cattle imported last year from
the United States there were only 137 affected by
pleuro-pneumonia, and in those cases the disease was
not found till the animals had been slaughtered. It
was a great hardship upon the 15 millions of inhabi-
tants of the Midland towns that all foreign meat had
to be slaughtered at the port of its arrival. Tons upon
tons of waste was the result, and the offal was utterly
sacrificed, which was a grievous loss to the poorer, and
to a large proportion of the middle classes.
Mr. Mark Price (Manchester) drew attention to the
fact that out of 76,000 beasts imported from America
in 1879, there were only 137 which were said, after a
microscopical inspection, to be affected by pleuro-pneu-
monia. The Americans denied that the disease existed
in their country, and our own Professor Williams dis-
tinct ly stated that the disease in those 137 animals was
not real pleuro-pneumonia. But the great point was
this, that 63,000 of the whole number came over in
boats where no disease at all was found. What, then,
they asked the Privy Council to do was to allow the
cattle brought over in boats in which it was admitted
that there was no disease should be permitted to be
sent alive to the inland markets. With regard to
sheep there were 33 found last year to be suffering from
foot and mouth disease, but there were 535 boats,
carrying 111,000 sheep in which no trace of that
disease could be found. The gross amount of the loss
occasioned by the ravages of pleuro-pneumonia a few
years ago was calculated at £8,000,000; but the cost
of these restrictions to the consumer was ld. per lb.,
and that meant .C 16,000,000 per annum. They might
well run a little risk to save such a sum to the people
of this country.
Mr. Page, market superintendent of Salford • Mr.
Rogers, of Birmingham • Mr. Barran, M.P., Leeds;
Mr, Briggs M.P., Blackburn; Mr. A. Arnold, M.P.,
and Mr. Armitage, M.P., having addressed his lord-
ship,

Mr. Potter, M.P., said that last autumn he was at
Chicago and had had an interview with some of the
leading agriculturists and merchants, who said they
were perfectly prepared to prove that no contagious
disease existed in the cattle that passed through that
port. He believed the importation from America was
as safe as that from Canada, and he trusted that point
would be considered by his lordship.

Earl Spencer, in reply, said he had listened with the
greatest interest to the remarks on this important sub-
ject, made by practical men fully acquainted with the
trade of supplying meat to the people of this country,
whether from home or abroad. He sympathised
warmly with the feelings that prompted them to come
there and address him upon a subject which in the
past he had had to deal with rather prominently. He
had always endeavoured to keep them in mind those
just and. noble principles of free trade which had
guided "The wisest statesmen with regard to the
bread supply of this country. He had also been
in the position to know the requirements and
necessities of those who carried on the important
industry of farming. He bad always said that
their interests must be considered, as their pros-
perity had a great and most important relation
to the general prosperity of the country. He had
always endeavoured to do them justice. He had also
had the conduct of this sort of business in Ireland,
and had always inipressed upon the farmers views of
moderation' and had also protested against restrictions
upon trade for the benefit of their industry. Having
said so much, he hoped they would believe his sym-
pathy was in favour of those large populations whose
interest the present deputation represented. Having
in some detail explained the state of the law as it now
stood, which required absolutely the slaughter of all
animals at the port of debarkation, and only allowed
the Privy Council to make exceptions in favour of
countries where contagious diseases did not exist,
and where, in the opinion of the Depart-
ment, the legislative regulations were such as
to prevent the communication of disease from
the outside, he read various documents to show
that, although there might be no disease in some
States of America, it undoubtedly prevailed in others.
It had besides been determined on the highest Ame-
rican legal authority that no State had a right to ex-
clude the produce or manufactures of the others.
There was therefore no security that the cattle
coming through Chicago from the West, spoken of by
Mr. Potter, might not have been in communication
with cattle from other States. That this was no
imaginary danger he read an .extract from an
official report to Congress in March, 1879, from
Professor Low, to the effect that pleuro-pneumonia was
"the most insidious of all plagues, and that
animals might be carried all round the world in
apparent health, and
He
have in them the
seeds of the disease." He also quoted the Chicago
Lire Stock Journal of the sth July, 1880, to the
effect, that owing to the change of President-
ship there was no prospect this year of any laws to
prevent diseased animals being taken as now, with-
out let or hindrance, anywhere in the States' and it
added that the vast herds of the West must, there-
fore, be exposed for two years mole, before anything
could be done to interpose between them and this
terrible scourge. These were the statements of the
Americans tlAnselves, and they furnished ample
reasons why the Privy Council could not interfere
in respect to America with the law as it stood. The
increase of importations which, however, under
these restrictions had taken place—was encourag-
ing; but he would say, in conclusion to the Depu-
tation, he should endeavour to do all in his power
to make those restrictions as light as pos-
sible. There were two ways in which those
powers might be administered—the first to make them
an absolute protection to the farmer, and, secondly,
to give as much latitude as possible and every facility
for the introduction of foreign live and dead meat
into our markets. His predecessor, the Duke of
Richmond, carried out the law in the latter spirit, and
he hoped to be able to follow the same track, and do
his best to facilitate and improve the meat trade of
this country. (Cheers.

The thanks of the deputation having been conveyed
to the noble Earl by Mr. Jacob Bright, M.P., the
members retired.