HL Deb 13 June 1882 vol 270 cc969-70
LORD LAMINGTON

asked, If the attention of Her Majesty's Government has been called to the recent importations of frozen sheep from New Zealand; and, whether, in the interest of the British producer and consumer, it may not be desirable to introduce a Bill to compel the retail dealers to specify the description of meat they are selling, and imposing heavy penalties on any person who sells imported meat as home produce? The noble Lord observed that in bringing this question forward it was not his intention to enter into any argument in favour of protective duties, because his impression was, that, give the English farmers a fair season and fair play, they could compete with the foreigner; but not only should they, but the consumer also, have fair play. Their Lordships would see that within the last few days a vessel had arrived in England from New Zealand with a cargo of 5,000 frozen sheep. That meat could be sold at (id. or 7d. per lb., with a profit on the sale, and it would do no harm whatever to the English producer; because, as their Lordships were well aware, there had been a great increase in the home supply, there being no less than 7,000,000 more sheep in the British Islands now than in 1874. Consequently, there was a supply of the best home produce for the wealthier classes who could afford to pay for it. The consumer ought, of course, to be able to buy the cheaper meat if he wished it; but it was not at all clear that he was allowed to do so. A correspondent of The Times wrote as follows:— Despairing householders are asking when they are to get the benefits of such consignments as recently arrived from New Zealand. Is there a single consumer who bought a joint of one of the 5,000 frozen sheep so successfully imported who was charged less than 100 per cent. on the transaction, and honestly told what he was buying? No London butcher sells American meat, and no London butcher sold one of the 5,000 frozen sheep brought from New Zealand. This fact the public will learn for themselves if they make the round of the shops and inquire. 'No, ma'am, we don't keep it; only the best English meat.' This is the universal story; but, somehow, people do not believe it. That morning he had received an inte- resting letter from a correspondent, who said he had observed with great satisfaction that Notice had been given of this Question, and continued— The importance of your question to the middle and poor classes is but little realized by politicians and also by the majority of voters, who are too supine to make any demonstration that would impress the Government with the importance of this question. It is a great hardship to small purchasers that retail dealers can, in the most open manner, sell meat imported from America, Australia, &c. (for which they pay a very small price), as and at the same prices as are asked for prime English and Scotch meat, the beef being dressed in America to resemble Scotch meat, and who invariably reply, when asked the question, 'Are you sure this is not American meat? 'No, I would not keep such a thing in my shop; "as well as being very insolent, and often refusing to serve one again. This makes it especially hard, as it oftens happens that there is not another shop near. My Lord, this is a matter that concerns very much the middle and working classes. He hoped that this trade would be developed.; at the same time, he trusted that fair play would be given to the English producer. On the principle that we prevented the sale of adulterated butter as genuine butter, so we might compel American meat to be sold as such, and thus save to the working classes an average of, perhaps, '2d. per lb., while doing an act of justice to the home producer.

LORD SUDELEY

I am sorry that I am unable to follow the noble Lord in his interesting statement with any information on the subject. The Board of Trade have no official knowledge of the recent importation of frozen meat from New Zealand, though their attention has been called to it by the announcement in the newspapers. The Government do not, as at present advised, think it necessary or advisable to introduce a Bill to compel retail dealers to specify the description of meat they are selling, and impose heavy penalties on any persons who sell imported meat as home produce.

THE DUKE OF RUTLAND

thanked the noble Lord who had brought this subject forward, and who had received an unsatisfactory answer. English agriculture was in a depressed, not to say an alarming condition; and anything likely to benefit the agricultural classes, and to enable them to meet the competition to which they were exposed, ought to be worth the serious attention of Her Majesty's Government.