BEEF FOR INDIAN ARMY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3433, 26 January 1912, Page 3

BEEF FOR INDIAN ARMY.

WILL AUSTRALIA BE ASKED TO

SUPPLY IT?

“Your Majesty’s petitioners therefore humbly pray that your Majesty may be graciously pleased 'to order that on and from the historic date that your Majesty will be pleased to hold the Coronation Durbar at Delhi the slaughter cows and, she-buffaloes be stopped , for the British army within your Majesty’s territories in India, and arrangements mat be made to import frozen or tinned meat from Australia or other countries to meet their requirements.” The above is an extract from a petition presented to his Majesty the King during his present visit to India. It is further set out that India is dependent, both for its prosperity and for its sustenance, on its agriculture, and that its agriculture is dependent on the rise of oxen. The supply of cattle, it ie stated, has been decreasing steadily for mane years aud one of the chief causes for this is said to be the slaughter of cows to serve as food tjor the British troops in India. As the oxen are reqnired to do the work of farm horses, the cows are mainly slaughtered for food. The result is a. rise in the price of milk aud consequent adulteration, and a decrease in the supply of cattle. The petition suggests that the remedy is to prohibit the slaughter of Indian cows for supplying the army with food. “Your Majesty’s petitioners do not wish to deprive the British soldier of his beef if it is thought to he absolutely necessary for him. All that yom l\laiestv’s ‘petitioners most respectfully urge is that beef need not and should not he obtained by the slaughter of the female, and the want can be supplied better and with less injury to the.community at large by _ the flesh male, or bv beef obtained from Austi alisin sources,” Further on, remarkes that “the best beef that can ever he raised in this count ti is gi eat>k- inferior to Australian beet- ; ' ‘ With the merits of the petition fiom the Indian point of view wo need not concern ourselves though it would ceitaiulv appear to the casin'.; I'e-dm[ that there is a prima. facie case m t-' m the petition.. But the suggestion thatthe Indian Government slum ;. ' lcK 1 sufficient frozen meat from Australia to keep 150.000 soldiers supplied dices concern us. as it- opens up a-■ Fusibilities for the future.