FREEZING COSTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22960, 11 February 1938, Page 7

FREEZING COSTS

CONCERN IN INDUSTRY GROWTH IN TWO YEARS ANNUAL INCREASE £750,000 Serious concern nt tho increased costs that have to bo carried by the freezing industry as n result of tho present wages tendency was expressed by Mr. W. H. E. Flint, chairman of directors of the New Zealand Refrigerating Company, Limited, when addressing shareholders at tho annual meeting in Christehurch on Wednesday. It was calculated, he eaid, that on a conservative basis tho working costs since the end 0f,1935 have been increased by a figure approaching £750,000 a year in tho freezing industry in Now Zealand, representing moro than 8d a head on lambs and Is a hoad on sheep. It would dp realised that in tho lone,run this extra cost was an additional burden on tho farming community. , Tho gross earnings of tho company last year at £112,315 were larger by £3443 bub the increaso was offset by a riso in general expenses, mainly as a result of tho increase in salaries called for by recent legislation, so that tho net balance on the year's operations was practically the samo as that of tho previous year.

z That result was attained after providing for income tax and depreciation. With regard to the former, Mr. Flint said tho present rate of tax at 7s 6d in tho pound was too great an imposition upon industry and must, in tho long run, have a crippling effect, for while taxation absorbed nearly 40 per cent of profits there was little inducement to risk-capital in new enterprises or to spend money in the development of new processes. Referring to suggestions rcceived that tho company should revert to tho practice of paying interim dividends, Mr. Flint said tho directors felt tho position had nob altered since tho matter was last dealt with in 1936. Then they reported that as the company was dealing with a perishable commodity bought in New Zealand for marketing mainly in England, and not realised for anything from three to six months or longer after the produce was paid, for, it would not bo prudent to disburse a dividend when the financial result of the year's operations was unknown. The chairman promised, however, that the matter would not be overlooked.

THE MARKET BASKET FEW PRICE CHANGES MUSHROOMS NOW CHEAPER There have been very few changes in retail rates for produce during the week. Mushrooms are now more plentiful and there has been a reduction in price. Carrots, parsnips and marrows also are cheaper, as are new season's kumaras. Apricots and lettuce are' both very scarce at present, supplies of the latter being mostly in poor condition. Rates for meat, fish, bacon, ham, butter and cheese are unaltered. B grade hen eggs have advanced Id to Is 9d. Prices are: — FRUIT

Apples, best Albany Beauty, 4d to Od; Gravenstein, 4d to Gd; cooking: apples, 3d and 4d; oranges, Australian Valencias, Is Od to 3s; Jamaican, 2s to 3s; Californian, Sunkist, 2s lid to 3s; lemons, Is Od to 2s Od; bananas, 5d and Od per lb; grapefruit. Sunkist, Od; Jamaican, 4d and 5d each; coconuts, Id to Od each; pineapples Queensland variety. Is Od to 2s Od; mushrooms, outdoor, Is Od to 2s; tomat-oes, choice. Od; others, 3d and -Id; local plums, -Id to 8d per lb; apricots. 8d and lOd; Otago greengages, Od and 8d; peaches, Is lid to ;>s a dozen; Crenadillas, Ud to Is 3d; raspberries, Is 2d per lb; black currants, Is Od; hothouse grapes, Is Od to 2s Od per lb; nectarines, Is per lb; blackberries, lOd to Is per lb; cooking. Bd.

VEGETABLES Kumarns and onions, slb, Is; rhubarb, 4d to Od a bunch; radish, spring onions, 2d; cabbages, 6d to lOd; lettuce, 4d and sd; silver beet, 3d per bunch; pumpkins. 3d per lb; potatoes, 2d; outdoor beans, Od per lb; carrots, 2d a bunch; parsnips, 2d a bunch; peas, (Jd; outdoor cucumbers, 2d each; beet, 2d per bunch; marrows, 3d to Od; new season's kumaras, 4d per lb; cauliflowers. Od and 8d each.

MEAT * Beef.—Rump steak. Is 4d; undercut. Is (Sd; beef steak. 8d; sirloin, lOd; prime ribs, 8d; prime ribs (boned and rolled), lOd; wing ribs (three chine bones), Od: topside (4lb und. over), 7d; bolars, 7d; chuck rib, sd; rolled back rib. Sd; corned round. Od; corned brisket (boned), Od; brisket and flat rib, 4d; thin flank, 3d; gravy beef or shin beef, Od; minced beef, Od; tripe, Gd; dripping, Od; suet, -Id; sausages, 4d; sausage meat, sd; whole shins or legs, 2d; half-shins or legs (thick end), '2'/ 2 d; half-shins or legs (knuckle end), 2d; ox kidneys, Is; ox tongues. lOd; ox tails, Od; whole loins, Od; whole rumps, Mutton.—Sides, 7d; whole legs, Od; cut legs, OM,d; shank end (Gib or under), lOd; hindquarter, 8d; forequarter, Gd; shoulder, 7d; shank end of forequarter, GVad; necks (best end), 7<l; necks (scrag end), Od; loin, SVad; middle loin chops, Is; leg chops, lid; rib chops, lOd; neck chops (best end), Sd; stewing chops. Od; flaps, 3d; cutlets (trimmed), Is '2d; sheep's fry, 8d; kidneys, 3d each; tongues 3d each; sheep's head (dressed). Od each; sheep's brains/2d. New Season's Lamb. —Forequarter, 11d per lb; hindquarter, Is 2d; legs. Is fid; loins, Is 2d; sides, Is; lamb chops, Is 4d. Veal—Fillets, ltd; loins, lOd; shoulder, 7d; cutlets and veal steak, Is Id; chops, Is, forequarter, (jd; rolled veal, Od; veal rump St Pofk?--Leg, lid; loin, lid; foreloin. 1 with blade, Od; pork chops, is; corned hand, Od; corned belly, lid; pork sausages, Sd. FISH Schnappcr and terekihi, whole, Gd per lb; fillets, lOd; smoked. lOd; skinned fillets, with wings, lid; without wings, Is; steaks, Sd; terekihi. kippered fillets. Is 3d; trevalli, whole, 7(1 each; smoked, 8tl; smoked fillets, 4d and fid; John Dory, fillets, Is 2d; mullet, whole, Kaipara, fid each; Auckland, id per lb; smoked, Kaipara. Od each; Auckland, lOd per lb; flounder. Is per lb; lemon fish, 5d per lb; silver slrip, Od per lb; hapuku steaks, 1s 2d per lb; smoked, Is 3d; rnolu steaks, Sd per lh; smoked, Od per lb; kinirfish, steaks, Sd per lb; smoked. Oil; salmon, Is 3d per lb; smoked. Is 4d per lb; cod, fresh, Od per lb; smoked, Is 3d; gurnard, whole, 2d; fillets, IV-iil each; smoked, fid; barrncouta, whole, fid; fillets, od per In; smoked, 8d; cream fish, l%d each; frostfish, Od per lb; hako, whole, Od per lb; smoked, Sd; kippors, Scotch, Is per pair; crayfish, od per lb; smoked schnapper roes 2s Od per lb; fresh schnapper roes, 2s; smoked hapuku. Is 3d; mussels, fresh, Is Od a dozen; rabbits, lOd each: cod fillets, Scotch, Is Gd per lbi smoked bloaters, threo for Is; giblets, Sd per lb; mutton birds, lOd.

BACON AND HAM Bacon.—Shoulder rashers, Is 3d per lb; rib rashers. Is «d; b.v piece, shoulder, cut, 10(1 to Is 2d, Hams: Rashers, Is <d; pieces, whole hams, 3s 4d; half-hams. Is sd. BUTTER AND CIIEEBE Butter.—Factory, first grade. Is 4'Zjd per lb: second crrnde, Is 4d; farm butter. Is 3d per lb. Chccso, mild. Is; tasty. 3s (id. EGG 9 Hen, A grade, 1* lid; B grado. Is 9d; duck, A grado. 3s 9d. WHOLESALE PRICES BRITISH DECLINE CHECKED (Received February 10, 6.5 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY, Feb. 9 Tho Board of Trade index of wholesale prices for January was 0.1 per cent higher than that for December, thus checking the fall which had continued monthly since the middlo of ]9.'!7. Last month there was a rise of 0.6 per cent in food prices, but a decline of 0.2 per cent in prices of industrial materials and manufactures. Compared with January, 1037, the general index shows a rise of about 4.5 per cent.