CO129-527-17 Export of lard and ham from Hong Kong and China 10-9-1930 - 27-4-1931 — Page 15

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impossible for them to give certificates as to the

health of live-stock slaughtered up country and it

is impossible to get rid of the conviction that

their subordinate staff will always be open to

bribery.

The obvious deduction would therefore seem to

be that we should refuse to accept the certificates

issued by the Bureau. There is, however, another

aspect of the case. The potentialities of the export

trade in Lard from Shanghai to the United Kingdom is

very considerable and it is a pity that this trade

should be closed to local British firms.

I am informed that at the present time Chinese

dealers ship lard to Hong Kong where it is mixed

with the local product and after examination by the

Government Analyst, exported to England. I make this

statement with all reservation but I was so informed

not only by Mr. Tsou but also by a foreign exporter.

Again, I understand that the high temperature

at which lard is boiled in the process of manufacture

must destroy all bacteria, and while I do not presume

to express an opinion on this point possibly the

home authorities might be prepared to consider it.

To sum up, while I cannot advise that the Bureau's

certificates should be accepted as satisfactory

proof of the purity of the food products concerned,

I venture to enquire whether they might not be

accepted in the case of Lard to the extent of allow-

ing