PRICE OF MUTTON

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19623, 5 May 1938, Page 13

PRICE OF MUTTON

POSITION IN AUCKLAND SHARP RISK PREDICTED A sharp rise in mutton prices in the near future is predicted by Mr. C. Bridges, president of the Auckland Master Butchers' Association, because of the growing shortage of sound wethers occasioned by the facial eczema epidemic.

Because of the rigorous system of selection and inspection of ' stock, losses by Auckland butchers through the purchase of eczema-infected sheep have been small.

"The public need have no fear in buying mutton," said Mr. Bridges. "Great care is exercised in purchasing sheep at sales and the inspection at the municipal abattoirs is so painstaking that there is no chance of an infected carcase finding its way to a butcher's shop."

Butchers had experienced some losses through the disease being in its early stages when stock was bought and, therefore, difficult to detect, said Mr. Bridges. In an effort to secure the same conditions as were ruling in the Waikato, butchers were conferring with stocks firms. The arrangement desired was that where the disease developed within two days of the sale the loss should be borne by the vendor.