PRICE OF MEAT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 9, 5 October 1917, Page 6

PRICE OF MEAT

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES'

SALE FROM COLD STORES

THE EXPORT OF LAMB

A VERY DIFFICULT PROBLEM, A series of questions was asked in the House of Itepreseutativcs yesterday abq.>t the cost of living, with special reference to the price of meat. Keplying to Sir. PboTe, the Prime Minister 'said that in all the ocmplaints ho had Ticard regarding the cost of living, not one suggestion had been made foe tse reduction of the cost of living. The Government, however, had proposals under consideration. The Government had arrange'd to sell frozen meat to butchers at the rates charged to the Imperial Government. One of die difficulties was that many people would not buy frozen meat. They were content to go to other butchers,'and pay a Id. or 2d. a pound more for meat that had not been frozen. He could not understand the reason; if ho had any preference at all it was _ for frozen meat. He proposed to submit recommendations to Cabinet by which people would have an opportunity of buying frozen meat over the counter for cash at the prices at which it was sold to the Imperial' Government. Ke thought this was as far as the Governmsnt could go. This would b9 done in the four chief 01 Mr." E, W. Smith: "What about the country districts? ,„-,,, ' Mr Massev said he thought the experiment had better be tried in the centres first It-would be a much more difficult problem to deal with butter, because it had to jio through the grocers' shops, but even in this he hoped to make some improvement. .■-, Mr. Brown asked the Prime Minister whether he knew that outside buyers operating in Hawke's Bay were buying lamb'on the hoof at Ad. per lb. In view of this forcing up 6! prices he suggested that the Government commandeer some sheep, and let the .butchers liave the meat at a reasonable price. He added: "The Government will haw to tlo something. Others are doing it." Mr Massey: I should like to know who the others are. . . . Dees tho honourable member suggest that wo should huy lamb at Od. a pound? Mr. "Brown: No. Mr. Massev: I should think not. And 1 may sav that in my opinion, whoever is buving'this lamb is taking a very great risk, because I do not think all the lamb is goinf to be exported from this country this year. As far as ono can. judge -and I don't want lo say anything alarm.in* on this point—shipping is not going to"be plentiful. And beef has first prefer ence Next i?omcs wether mutton, then ewe mutton, and last of all lamb. I think That it ir.av be necessary to prevent lamb going out of the conntry after, s:»r February- ....,,,, i One of the difficulties that had croppei up in the supplying, of meat from cold stores, said Mr. Massey, was that sometimes the price of the meat would have to be loaded with storage charges 111 rale about storage was that meat waj free 'for the first month, and that aflei that the Imperial Government paid stoiage at the rale of MM. per pound. Son,, of the meat thai was m the stores now had been there for several months, anfl when the meat w. ? sold the stooge had to be added. This difficulty arose !«• 'cause it was not possible to get meal whether arrant ments could be- made with the Gear Meal Company to distribute meat a the cheat rates without putting it-nto stores at all Mr Massev said he did not know whal the Gear Company would do, but he liac heard that their prices were the mosl reasonable in Wellington. v Mr. Poole: Tt is said I hat they an cheaper than the Government hooks. Mr. Massey: I have heard so.