9

H.—l7

for the English market. Full details, with ample illustrations, are given as to the production, slaughter, inspection, and shipment of meat and produce, which must completely reassure the most horrified readers of the alleged Chicago malpractices." Daily Express, 24th September, 1906.—" The New Zealand Government stall is a sequel to the American meat scandal. New Zealand wishes to prove that honest and wholesome meat can be shipped from the colonies." Morning Leader, 24th September, 1906. —" On the site where a well-known American firm once exhibited, the New Zealand Government have planted their goods, determined that their people should step into the shoes of the Americans. Two printed notices are prominently displayed, one of which asserts that the New Zealand canned meats are slaughtered, prepared, and packed under the most stringent veterinary inspection in the world, while the other gives extracts from the New Zealand Slaughtering and Inspection Act. Visitors are invited to step in and taste the colonial tinned meats, and by the time the exhibition is closed the whole of the display will probably have been 'tasted' away." Grocers' Review, 25th September, 1906.—" The object of the New Zealand Government in being represented at the Exhibition has been explained in the introductory observations. It may he added that the canned-meat industry of the colony is only in its early stages; but, given the demand, there are almost limitless possibilities of development. The samples shown are the produce of several private companies, but they are prepared under most drastic State regulations and supervision, and not a single ounce of canned meat can be exported which has not been passed by the Government Inspector and certified as wholesome by him. The consuming public have, therefore, the best guarantee that can be given as to the purity and quality of the food." In further reference to the meat question, the Hospital, of the 13th October, 1906, devotes three pages to an article dealing with " New Zealand and the Supervision of its Meat-supplies," in connection with the exhibit sent to England by the Department. This article concludes as follows: '' Of the samples taken at random from the New Zealand exhibit, we examined ' oxtail soup ' from the Gear Meat-preserving Company (Limited), and found it of excellent quality. The same maybe said of the ' jugged hare ' of Irvine and Stevenson, St. George Preserving Company. The sheeps' tongues from the Christchurch Meat-preserving Company (Aorangi brand), and those from the Wanganui Meat-freezing Company were in every way satisfactorj' and delicious. They were soft and tender, and maintained their natural flavour as if they had just been cooked—qualities which it is very rare to find." Irish International Exhibition. The Government was invited on the 2nd April, 1906, to be represented at the above Exhibition. The invitation was accepted, and 3,000 square feet of space secured. Leading producers, merchants, and manufacturers of New Zealand were then approached by the Department, which resulted in very satisfactory exhibits going forward by the s.s. " Ruapehu," s.s. "Gothic," and s.s. " Tongariro." The consignments forwarded were made up as follows: Department of Industries and Commerce forwarded exhibits of ironsand; butter and cheese trophy erected out of butter-boxes and cheese-cases; natural mineral waters; New Zealand wines; woollen goods, consisting of rugs, flannels, and blankets; wheat, oats, barley, beans, and peas; sheaves of all classes of wheat, oats, and barley; tinned vegetables, tinned fruits, bottled jams and sauces, pickles, condensed milk; portmanteaux, bags, and saddles manufactured from New Zealand leather; fleeces of wool; collection of rabbit-skins, sheep-skins, and pelts; bales of each grade of hemp (Phormiuni tenax); samples of New Zealand woods; a brass plate giving particulars of New Zealand's gold-export; a brass plate giving exports for year .1906; a brass plate, engraved, setting out the advantages New Zealand offers to the home-seeker, the health-seeker, and the sportsman ; samples of New Zealand sulphur. In conjunction with the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, a good display of commercial and agricultural photographs was forwarded, together with a supply of literature, attractively prepared, dealing with the country's resources. Private exhibits, which were shipped and handled by the Department, consisted of the following:— Consignors. Exhibit. Kaiapoi Woollen Company (Christchurch) ... ... Large exhibit of woollen manufactures. Newton King (New Plymouth) ... ... ... Samples of fungus. Wood Bros. (Christchurch) ... ... ... Flour. Canterbury Roller-mills (Christchurch) ... ... „ Evans and Co. (Timaru) ... ... ... ... „ Timaru Milling Company (Timaru) ... ... ... „ D. H. Brown and Son (Christchurch) ... ... „ George Trapnell (Brightwater) Redwood Bros. (Spring Creek) ... ... ... „ Moir and Co. (Christchurch) Northern Flour-mills (Auckland) ... ... ... „ G. W. S. Patterson and Co. (Auckland) ... ... Kauri-gum. Christchurch Meat Company (Christchurch) ... ... Tinned meats. Wanganui Freezing-works (Wanganui) ... ... „ Kauri Timber Company (Auckland) ... ... ... Samples of timber. W. Adams (Blenheim) ... ... ... ... Bale of superior-grade hemp.

2—H. 17.