THE PRICE OF MEAT

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 67, 17 September 1917, Page 3

THE PRICE OF MEAT

The value of stock i& being well maintained (says the South' v Island correspondent of the Farmers' Union Advocate). There was some anticipation when the Board of Trade fixed the price of meat in Ghfistchurch that the value of live stock at Addington would go down. So far that hae not eventuated. The butchers at the,,first sale after ,the establishment ofi the shops, bought just about as freely as\ever. The more cautious of, them hung back a bit, but they came in later. It is asserted that fat sheep were little dearer than they should have been if the buyings had been based, on the Government selling* in the meat shop, it must be remembered, however, that the Government shops sell to.cash purchasers only, while the butchers givecredit. Their purchasers /want the meat that is to be had, whereas it is stated that at the Government shop the buyers generally require a cheaper article. If the supply gets bigger as the season advances prices of fats.are sure to go down a bit. Stores are still selling well and dealers are doing all right. For my part, I would advise caution in the business ; for a farmer to go into the buying competition for forward delivery "is, not at all a wise plan .at the present time. There can bo no doubt but that the wool clip for the coming season will be heavy. It cannot help being otherwise seeing that the winter and the early spring has bee ngood. Taking it all over, it should be as good as we have ever seen.