BOTCHERS AND FARMERS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3532, 23 January 1886, Page 3

BOTCHERS AND FARMERS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMAHO HERALD. Sir,— l think that "Old ßutcher" deserves llmuks for giving us figures which no doubt we may take to bo reliable as far as they go. Ho showa that a 70 ( Jlb bullock, purchased at £7, brings m gross £10 11s Bd, or a gross profit of £3 lls Bd. "Old Butcher's" highest price is Cd per lb, but I find that rump steak is Bd, and tho prime roasts are not much less, bo we may say that tho returns will reach £i • add to this £1 for hide, fat, tonguo, and offal, and wo get £5, that the butcher receives above the cost price of the bullock, or a gi'.in of 71 por cent, verily, as compared with the farmer who feeds tho bullock for three yrars for so poor n price, the butcher bus a good deal the best of it. I don't supp' cc Unit tho Dunedin butcher referred to by " Old Butcher" is a caso m point, as m the Dunedin market ho would pay more for his bullocks than here, and the retail prices of the "advertising butcher" wero certainly 30 per cent less than thoso m Timaru. If no, like ' Old Butchor," go into figures, it seems that a Timaru butcher doing a trade of four bullocks per week, has v profit of from £10 to £3') gross, — not a bad thing on one item, even if the expenses aro heavy. I am, Sec, FAHMIiIS.