PRICE OF MEAT.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16473, 17 March 1919, Page 6

PRICE OF MEAT.

NO EXPIXHTATIOX BY THE DOMINIONS. (FROM oun OWN coßHKsroy lENT.) LONDON, January 24. Presiding at a mooting nt tho Royal Society of Arts tlio other day, Sir Thomas Mackenzie stated "that an impression was abroad that the oversea Dominions were exploiting the British public. As far as Australia and Now. Zealand wore concerned he could deny this absolutely. A statement mado by Major Astor indicated that tho prices paid for American meat ranged up to Is Id per pound, but he, Sir Thomas, understood that American and all other meats we;e snld at one uniform price. New Zealand had sold her wool, her •butter, and her cheese to tho Hound peoplo at reasonable prices, and had renewed the contracts tor meat at tho terms which prevailed in 1916, the f.o.b. prices per pound being: Mutton: -Ijid to ojjd, lamb 4Jd to 6id, and beef -Hd to sd. To these prices must bo added freight and other charges before landing, say, 3d per pound. These prices were quoted in order to assists tho British Government to provide good, wholesome meat for the Army at a moderate cost, tho surplus to go to tlie British consuming public at a reasonable price.

If it Avas contended that tho British Government had to pay certnin rates in America in order to secure the meat, and then, buying nt lower figures front tho Dominions, aA*eraged the price oA-er all, that had nothing whatever to do with tho Dominions. It Avns never tlm intention of Now Zealand to soil her rplendid meat at a low price in order that- high prices might 'be paid to American packers. Tho wholesale prico of nrutton and lamb in this country Avas Is 3d, and tho retail prices ranged from Is to 2s. according to cut. The wholesalo price of beef was Is 3Jd, and the retail prices ranged from Is 3d to 2s 4d.

A New Zealand correspondent, writing to tho ''Empiro News," points out that the cost of New Zealand meat in store in England is BJd per pound. Tljo Board of Trade parses it on to the Ministry of Food at lOcl p?r pound, and tho Food Controller sells to retailors at Is Id per pound thus making a profit of 3d per pound in addition to that already made by the Board of Trade.' "This brings tho price up to the American leA-el of American Trust meat. The inference is that the Ministry used this profit on New Zealand moat to make up its loss on tho American moat. All our New Zealand lamb lias gone on the British market at American prices. I have the figures, but am compelled to regard them as confidential."