THE PRICE OF MEAT.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 43, 19 August 1902, Page 6

THE PRICE OF MEAT.

» ANOTHER RISE. The announcement that the butchers in Wellington have decided to increase the prices of meat will not come as a great surprise to tho majority of our renders. It bus been evident for some time past that tho local market must be affected before long by the demand which has sprung up in Now South Wales for New Zealand shi'i'p uiul cuttle. The Wellington butchers stute that for the past few ■weeks they hu.vc been making very little profit owing to tho increased price of htock, and they havo now been forced to adopt a higher tariff, wliich will moan thut tho public wilHiave to pay a penny pot pound more for most linos of meat, than has been the enso for many months. The following are some of the increases decided upon: — Chops, from 5d to 6d per lb ; tripe and suet, from 4d to 5d ; btcuk, from 5d to 6d ; sirloin of beef, from sid to 6d ; gravy beef, from 4d to 6d ; corned round, from 5d to 6d. These aro the cash prices. More will be charged if the items are booked. The new tariff will taka N effect from to-day. "The sole reason for the advance in price," said the representative of a local butchering company, in reply to a question ">» the advance in prices of live stock on. the other side, and the consequent demand made upon this colony to supply requirements. The stripping of this colony of large quantities of its fat stock Las reacted upon the local market, butchering was rapidly becoming a, nonpaying business, and up went prices. It has been coming for the last month or two, and the wonder is that it has not come before. Tho rise has been staved off in the hope that the unusual demand for stock was only temporary. Ask the small butchers t and they will tell you thut in many instances ttkey have lately been running their business at a loss." Our informant pointed to the fact that Australian buyers hod been in the colony for some time snapping up all available fat stock — boef and mutton — besides which a number of speculators have been buying to ship to Sydney. Taking the Johnson* viile sales as an instance, it would , be found that beef .had been dearer there thin winter than it had ever been in the history of the yards. Asked how retail prices in Wellington to-day compared with those ruling elsewhere in the colony, our informant stated thut at any rato as regards Christchurch prices had been a penny a pound less nere. They were about on an equality as a result qf the rise which came into effect to-day. FURTHER ADVANCES IN THE PRICE OF STOCK.The stock sale held by Mr. Freeman R (Jackson at Johnsonville to-day was well attended. There was a fab quantity of stock offering, a brirk demand, and every lot offered was cleared at prices which were, on the whole, a bit higher than at tho lust sales. The two Australian buyers who attended last Tuesday's sales were again present. One of them bought 20 bullocks at an average of about £11 pdr head, and the other <sight at £10 17s lid. General prices obtained ot the sale are quoted as follows:—Beef, 24s to 255; fat bullocks, £11 to £12 10s ; medium, £9 15s to £10 17s 6d; light, £8 17s 6d to £9 2s 6d ; medium theen (wethers), 15s to 17» 4dj light ewes, 13s 7d to 14s 6d. We find upon enquiry that the San Francisco mail boats are capable of carrying about 9000 carcases of sheep ench, so that the Waikato farmers are likely to havo a good "throw-in"' in supplying tho Sydney market for some time to come. m