MEAT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8304, 24 November 1915, Page 5

MEAT.

GOVERNMENT PURCHASES

(From Our Wellington Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON,, Nov. 24. A business man connected with the meat trade make» some interesting comments on. the Imperial Government's purchases in, the course of a letter to a local firm:—".We were under a strong impression at tho. time that the prices paid for Government meat the first ,few months must have resulted in large profits, but we now begin to doubt whether this has really been the case owing to* the enormous charges incurred through increase in freights, demurrage owing to vessels waiting discharge, storage difficulties, etc. If we are right in our conclusion that demurrage, has boon paid the amount must have been enormous, owing to the difficulty of discharge, many .vessels being held up for weeks. There is no doubt also that storage expenses must have been very heavy, as it was the policy to fill up the stores as a huge reserve before releasing any meat to the public, and the arrivals here hgve been ample all along to keep these large resorvs always intact. Consequently old lines have boon released only to make .room for new. Thus storsmo charges have siooumulated to a considerable extent on all meat relonscd.'

"We gather also that considerable storage charges must have accumulated on your side. On the whole the early months must have.been remunerative to the authorities, but not to the extent at first estimated, while, present prices f.nn little more than clear tho cost, if they do that."