BRITAIN'S FOOD PROBLEM.

Evening Star, Issue 16625, 7 January 1918, Page 5

BRITAIN'S FOOD PROBLEM.

WEEK-END MEAT' FAMINE. SMITHFIELD MARKET BARE. UNPRECEDENTED QUEUES. ANOMALIES OF PRICEFIXING. LONDON"/January 5. The butchers stood in longer queues than ever at Smithfiold, gathering before daylight. Tho wholesalers are without supplies of mutton, but it is stated that the Government are releasing 2,000 carcasses of frozen mutton to-morrow. LONDON, January 6. (Received January 7, at 9.15 a.m.) A few Australian sheep and lambs were sold at Smithfield at ll£d per lb. The few rabbits released were'eagerly competed for at Government rates. The week-end meat shortage is acute, the Smithfield supplies being 60 per cent, below requirements. The Government restricted the week-en*, sale of mutton from cold storage in the East End and in munitions areas and excluded the West End. The Food Controller expresses the opinion that farmers are not antagonistic to fixed graded prices of live but they arc slow thinkers, and are waiting to see results. If the farmers continue not marketing their cattle he threatens to commandeer all stock. A large number of sheep are being marketed ; but, as live meat prices have not been fixed, the butchers are buying sheep at prices considerably above the equivalent value fixed for dead mutton. (Received January 7, at 10 a.m.) There is great competition in London for corned beef and sausages. The extent of the fish queues everywhere is unprecedented, and high prices rule. Bones are eagerly purchased. Tlie wholesale price of the best English wild rabbit is 3s 6d each.