33. Mr. THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade how many tons of the Government frozen meat about two weeks ago were seized as unfit for human food; and if it had been in the cold stores about twelve months at a cost of over 30s. per ton per twenty-eight days for storage?
§ Mr. PRETYMANAbout 15 tons of meat were condemned. To a large extent this represents the defective portions of quarters otherwise sound. The meat was not twelve months in store, and the rate paid for storage was much below 30s. per ton per month. This meat formed part of a large consignment which was in course of issue to the Army during the period when it was in store, and there was no neglect in supervision or inspection. Relatively to the total quantities of meat handled only a trifling proportion has been condemned, but in the ordinary course of business it is impossible to prevent some meat from going bad.
§ Mr PRETYMANAbout seven months.
Mr. THORNEIs it the custom to periodically examine this meat in cold storage and not allow it to go rotten in the way in which it did in this case?
§ Mr. PRETYMANI referred to that in my answer. There has been inspection.