A public assembly convened at the Chamber of Commerce in Limerick City to address concerns within Munster’s butter trade. The gathering aimed to nominate a delegation for the purpose of meeting with Sir Horace Plunkett. Their objective was to emphasize the importance of designating representatives in England to safeguard the interests of Irish agricultural goods, particularly butter. In a unanimous decision, Sir Thomas Cleeve was selected to preside over the proceedings, and Mr D. L. Roche assumed the role of meeting secretary.
Mr Robert Gibson proposed a motion asserting that the Department of Agriculture should promptly appoint officials to safeguard the welfare of Irish products in the British markets. Furthermore, he called for a delegation to meet with Sir H. Plunkett. In his speech, Mr Gibson noted that the majority of Irish opinion supported their stance, except for a few individuals and certain Department of Agriculture personnel who exhibited a lack of understanding about Ireland’s requirements and capabilities. These officials, driven by complacency and arrogance, failed to make the necessary efforts to learn. A response from an official, marked by audacity, implied that private individuals should undertake tasks for which the Department received significant funding (£140,000), yet adamantly refused to engage in. Mr Gibson highlighted the impracticality of this approach by private individuals and criticized Sir Horace Plunkett’s inadequacies in advancing the dairy sector. He claimed that dishonest practices, both domestic and foreign, had deeply impacted the industry, worsening its state.
Mr W. L. Stokes, J.P., the Manager of the Co-Operative Wholesale Society, seconded the resolution. He attributed the recent grievances to a lack of oversight that had arisen over the past few years. Stokes emphasized the critical need for such oversight to be implemented in the interest of the Irish butter trade. He underscored the challenge of detecting “neutral fat” adulteration, where even analysts could not definitively differentiate between genuine butter and adulterated substitutes. Stokes revealed that he had gathered information to present to Sir Horace Plunkett, outlining the necessity of inspectors. He had also initiated communication with the Finnish and Danish Governments on this matter. He declared that if their request was not met, the subsequent approach to the Department would be more assertive.
Chairman Sir Thomas Cleeve endorsed the resolution wholeheartedly, noting the precedence set by other nations in appointing essential inspectors. The resolution was unanimously accepted by the assembly, reflecting the collective sentiment that the Department of Agriculture needed to take immediate action to safeguard the integrity of Irish agricultural exports, particularly butter, within the British markets.
IRISH TIMES – THURSDAY 02 NOVEMBER 1905
