As will be seen from the foreign office’s note, a decree dated July 5,
1906, has been passed restricting the importation of cattle and of
[Page 45]
fresh and prepared meat from
non-European countries into Austria; and that importations are only
permitted by special permit from the minister of the interior, and that
an application must be made to the said ministry in every case, and
under conditions fixed by the ministry.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
Imperial and Royal Ministry of Foreign
Affairs,
53.723/9.
In compliance with the esteemed note of December 19, 1905, F. O., No.
179, the undersigned has not failed to request the competent
ministries to make investigations regarding the refusal of the
custom-house at Eger to admit a cask of salted beef, sent direct
from Chicago. According to investigations made in this connection,
it seems that the shipment in question consisted of a cask of salted
beef (gross weight, 162 kilogrammes), which had arrived at the
custom-house at Eger from Hamburg on November 15, 1905, addressed to
the firm “Brüder Abeles.”
The said custom-house, when acting in regard to this shipment, has
taken the view that by the decree of December 4, 1891, Law Bulletin
No. 168, the importation of pork meat, bacon, and sausages of all
kinds from the United States of America has been especially
permitted on condition that for such products an official
certificate, corresponding to the regulations of the United States
of America, and stating that their absolutely unobjectionable
quality in sanitary respects has been ascertained by an examination
as prescribed, will be submitted. At the time of the arrival of the
said shipment, no such instructions for admission of beef imported
from the United States existed.
The custom-house at Eger called the attention of the firm of “Brüder
Abeles” to this state of affairs, as well as to the difficulties
arising therefrom with regard to the treatment of the shipment;
thereupon the firm of its own accord ordered the return shipment of
the beef.
According to this statement it would seem that the shipment had not
been really refused, nevertheless the imperial and royal ministry of
the interior has considered the case in the light of a disagreeable
occurrence and has stated that it is unlikely that such cases shall
occur again in the future, as in the meantime precautions have been
taken by the decree of July 5, 1906, Law Bulletin 138, that the
competent imperial and royal authorities on the arrival of shipments
of meat from non-European countries may take such measures as are
required by circumstances.
The decree in question orders that the importation of cattle and of
fresh and prepared meat of all kinds from non-European countries to
the lands and provinces represented in Parliament be restricted, so
that such an import is only permitted by special permit of the
ministry of the interior—an application having been made in each
case—and under conditions fixed by the said ministry.
The stipulations of the order of December 4, 1891, Law Bulletin 168,
regarding the importation of pork, pork meat, bacon, and sausages
from the United States of America are not changed for the present by
the stipulations of this new decree, as is especially mentioned in
the new order.
The statements published a short time ago in the newspapers regarding
the conditions existing in the American, and especially in the
Chicago, slaughterhouses (abattoirs), has not escaped the attention
of the competent officials of this country, and it is not impossible
that the question may come into serious consideration, whether a
change of the decree of 1891, several times above referred to, might
not be taken up for discussion.
Having the honor of bringing the above to the knowledge of the chargé
d’affaires of the United States of America, Mr. George Barclay
Rives, the undersigned avails himself, etc.,
For the minister:
Mérey.
Vienna, August 7,
1906.
