Mr. White to Mr. Hay.
Berlin , May 19, 1900 .
Sir:
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The third reading of the meat-inspection bill was on the order of the day for the 17th instant, but was not reached. The “compromise,” [Page 508] advocated by numerous members of the Conservative, Center, and “Reichs” parties (dispatch No. 1241 of May 3, 1900), is that—
Section 14a of the meat-inspection law be modified so that the importation of meat in air-tight sealed boxes or similar vessels, of sausages and other preparations of meat in small pieces, is prohibited. Further, that until December 31, 1903, the importation of fresh meat only in whole or half carcasses, and of prepared meat only when danger to the consumer’s health is excluded, is to be permitted. In the latter case it is to be held that as far as pickled meat is concerned the pieces must be of more than 4 kilograms in weight. After December 31, 1903, the question of the importation of meat is to be regulated anew, or these provisions are to remain in force.
It is understood that this compromise will be accepted by the Government in the event of its acceptance by the Reichstag. Recently representatives of New Zealand meat interests have been in Berlin, and a hearing was granted them at the foreign office. They were given to understand, however, that their protests had come too late, and that the compromise was the result of a bargain for votes in favor of the navy bill.
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I am, etc.,