RISE IN MEAT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3169, 21 August 1917, Page 6

RISE IN MEAT

BOTH BEEF AND MUTTON AFFECTED

£2 15s. FOR FAT SHEEP

What tho Americans term a "raise" has been made by tho wholesale butchers to the retailers, and naturally this "raise" is going to affect everyone in the community. The notice which has been sent round to tho city retail butchers informs them that on and after yesterday tho prices for meat will be as follow :— Ox beef, up to OOfllbs., 475. per 10Mb. Heifer bed', lip to 9001b., 465. per 1001b. ' Cow beef, up to flOOlb., tSs. per 1001b. Wether mutton, up to 721b., 6Jd. b. Maiden ewe mutton, up to 721b., 6Jd. lb. Ewe- mutton, up to 721b., 5Jd. lb. Mutton over 721b. carcass, id. per lb. less. Tho riso means an increase- of 2s. in tho 1001b. on beef, but no reduction at nil under 9001b. as against. 8001b. formerly. Tho mutton rise is, roughly, $d. lb. on wether and Jd. lb. E.we meat. Tho wholesale riso, which has been "felt" on tho market Tor a week past. ,s a fairly substantial one, aa anyone may judge- trom the fact that a 0001b. bnUocK (slaughtered) now costs i'l9 lti s ., instead of half that price, as it was a few years ngo. f i One local butcher, who does Ins own killing, informed a Dominion reporter yesterday that he piud £19 10s. per head for sixty bullocks on the hoof" last week. Tho samo butcher said that at Levin last week he paid i 3 las. per head for ordinary fat eneep, which used to be considered well sold at £1. ■'\ow I'm told," said ouir informant, "that the freezing companies are trying to sell souio of their frozen mutton to tho butchers at the old prico to make some room for the new seasons meat, but it has been found before that Aew Zealand people will not eat frozen meat. Tho Imperial Government has bought up ili the beef and mutton, but not the lamb. That's a luxury! Yetl hear that lamb has gone up 3d. per lb. Tho prices to the public for mutton may bo taken at from 2d. to 3d. per lb. on tho prices quoted. Inquiries were made as to whether it would be advantageous to the public if Stato meat shops were established in Wellington. One butcher with a wide knowledge of the trade said that the State shop would be no use m Wellington for the simple reason that at the present time the local butchers were selling cheaper than the State shops in Auckland. . _, "There ie a. State meat shop in iaumarimui. and there they charae 7d. per lb for sausages we only get sd. tor, and 10d. ! per lb. for chops that we only get Sd for If that's the best the State shops caii. do, I don't see how they can ease the public's burden."