DOMINION MEAT IN ENGLAND

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21974, 24 December 1936, Page 13

DOMINION MEAT IN ENGLAND

HANDLING PRAISED MR H. F. NICOLL'S IMPRESSIONS ''■ Praise for the manner in which New Zealand meat was handled in England was expressed yesterday by Mr ti. i'. Nicoll, who has just returned from a visit overseas. Mr NicoU was considerably impressed by the quality shown of the New Zealand lamb displayed in retail butchers' shops in England. "The handling of New Zealand meat in England leaves very little to be desired," said Mr Nicoll in an interview. "It is mostly controlled by a few firms who have a direct interest in always pushing to obtain new markets , and tho highest price possible. This is because they are the owners of the ©eat and naturally desire to recoup themselves for the price paid to the ferower in New Zealand. The general trend is to obtain the last penny. "I mafce a point of visiting several Jretail butchers' shoos in London and the suburbs, and also in the country. I went in to criticise and found without exception that the carcases hanging in the shops would pass any inspection and were a credit to the Dominion. "Everywhere I visited, people were Hating New Zealand lamb and nowhere Iwa's there any complaint about its nuality or its tenderness. 1 noticed lhat many of the shops had a window display of meat, with a label: 'All meat Sn this window is home-killed.' I went Inside and found that they had a line W New Zealand lambs hanging of (Which the butcher should have been toroud. They made the notice in the Twindow unnecessary." Mr Nicoll also remarked on the general impression of prosperity given by ■ll forms of business in England. He ■mphasised that he was not referring to the coal-mining or other depressed peas. Employers everywhere were Complaining of the difficulty of obtaining boys for offices or other employment. DAIRY PRODUCE BUTTER MARKET SLOW PRICES ON THE DECLINE (OKITEII I>KESS ASSOCIATION—COI'KHIGIIT.) / LONDON, December 22. The butter market is slow, and quotations are nominal. Prices:— Danish—llos to 112 s. New Zealand—Choicest salted 965; tmsalted 104 s. Australian—Choicest salted 955; united IOCs. The week-end quotations were:— New Zealand, salted 100 s; unsalted 308 s. SOLICITORS' FEES FIXED Services to mortgagees j S (PRESS ASSOCIATION TEt.EGHASJ.) "WELLINGTON. December 23. An order-in-council was approved J°-dcy fixing the scale of solicitors fees for the administration of the Mortgagors and Lessees Rehabilitation Act. The scale of fees was fixed after discussions between the Minister «>r Justice <thr Hon. H. G. R. Mason) the Law Society. . Two sets of fees were approved, one Covering applications and the filling J 1 of forms and attendances outside actual hearings before Adjustment . commissions or the Court of Review, gra the other set covering the hear£B itself. Each set is graduated acJ*Hung to.the value of the property Evolved.

HEAL ESTATE MARKET REVIEW OF YEAR'S BUSINESS DEMAND FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES For the first time for several years the real estate market in Christchurch showed very marked activity during the year 1936. When the year opened there were already signs of improvement in a business which had been very much a languishing one during the previous five or six years, and that improvement was sustained throughout the year. Dealing in practically all forms of real property has gone on briskly this year, although the recovery has not been so apparent in house building and in city property The demand for residential properties, particularly during the last three or four months, has been very keen indeed, and houses ranging in price from £IOOO to £ISOO have been eagerly sought after. A feature of the business dene during the year has been that in most cases a substantial amount of cash has been put forward into deals, with the result that the sales effected have been actual and not merely "paper" sales. At the same time, the keen enquiry for properties has not brought about any undue advance in values. Intending purchasers have learned a lesson from previous "booms," and while keen to do business they are also anxious to see that they receive good value. Slackening in Building One section of real estate business which has not shown any great activity is the sale of building sections. The reason for the slackness in this respect is generally attributed to the withdrawal by the Government of the building subsidy, which stimulated building operations during the preceding four years. In addition, building costs have increased materially, because of the rising labour costs, the increased price of materials, and the introduction of the 40-hour week. The trend, therefore, has been towards purchasing ready-built houses, for which previously there was little demand. Consequently, while building sections were selling well in the early part of the year, the demand more recently has been for the ready-built home, which purchasers have found can be secured generally for less tMn it would cost to build a similar dwelling. In the latter portion of the year there was an especially keen demand for a good type of rented property, and there is at present an acute shortage of modern bungalows for rent. Any houses which fall vacant can be re-let immediately. It is considered that the Government housing scheme, when put into effect, will bring material relief to this position. In the meantime rental values have increased slightly, but not unduly. House rents are of course governed by the recent rent restriction legislation, but members of the Real Estate Institute hold the view that property owners in Christchurch are not exploiting the position which has arisen. Very few complaints have been received from tenants who have been asked to pay tco high a rent, and generally speaking, there seems to be a very happy understanding between landlords and tenants in the city. ■ Popularity of Flats The activity in the erection of blocks cf flats has been continued steadily during the last 12 months, and several blocks of modern, up-to-date self-con-tained flats have been built in the city. Although, a few years ago, the erection of large blocks of flats was looked upon with some doubts, flats have now come to be regarded as a necessary part of the city, and the buildings now in occupation maintain a high general standard of comfort and attractiveness. I Governed as they are by strict building regulations, the flats in the city provide first-class living accommodation at a moderate cost to the various classes of people whose position is such that they cannot undertake the responsibilities and maintenance of a house property. One of the results directly attributed to the imposition this year of the graduated land tax has been the noticeable slackening in business in city properties: Dealing in this class of property, which is usually a form of investment I business, has been particularly quiet. I Earlier in the year a number of large city properties changed hands, but gen- [ orally the activity was not as pro- ! nounced as would have been anticipated from the general recovery of confidence and return to better times. MUTUAL LIFE AND CITIZENS* CO.\S COMPETITIVE DESIGNS Seventy-one designs were submitted in the competition promoted in connexion with the new building for the "M.L.C." at the corner of Martin place and Castlereagh street, Sydney. From these the designs by Messrs Scarborough, Robertson, and Love,, and Messrs Andrew and Hawdon respectively were awarded second and third places and premium. l ; respectively, while the other 'leadina designs were those submitted by Mr Douglas G. McCalman. Messrs S. H. Buchanan, Cowper and Morgan, and Messrs Herbert, Wilson, and Pynor. The selected design, with all others submitted, will be on exhibition at Endeavour House, Macquarie place, Sydney, between December 22, 1936, and January 16, 1937. ANTWERP FUTURES LONDON, December 22. The Antwerp wool futures market is steady. Quotations for dry-combed Australian tops are:—March 33.1 d P e r lb; May, 33gd; July, 333 d. PRICE OF GOLD LONDON, December 22. Gold is quoted at £7 Is 7d a fine