MEAT PRICES.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 7920, 18 August 1917, Page 4 (Supplement)

MEAT PRICES.

In its issue of June 13th last “The Scotsman” publishes a table showing the highest prices of beef per cwt., live weight, at some of the Scottish cattle markets during tile preceding week, as compared with the corresponding prewar period of June, 1914. The figures are:— 1917. 1914. s. d. s. d. Edinburgh 109 5 44 1 Falkirk 104 0 43 1 Dunfermline 102 9 43 3 Avr 113 0 45 0 Cupar 113 3 Dundee 105 0 44 0 Brechin 104 7 44 7 In view of these abnormal prices for live stock, one is not surprised to read, in a following paragraph, that at a meeting of the master butchers of Edinburgh, held to consider what steps the retail trade should take in view of the high auri rising prices in the live stock market, That at that day’s sales (June 12/ cattle had sold as high as 150 s. per cwt. The butchers met the situation by unanimously deciding to increase the price on all cuts of butcher meat and mutton by 2d. per lb. On the same day tile butchers of Dunfermline went on-> hotter and increased the price of all classes of butcher meat by 4d. per lb. Meat is, of course, only one item in tho increased cost of living, and we have on'y to grasp the fact that food prices generally have risen in proportion to realise how heavy is the burden that is pressing upon the people of the Mother Country. While, doubtless, the high cost of food .and other necessaries is a contributing factor in the unrest prevailing in the labour centres, it would bo wrong to assume that the high ptices are attributable only to profiteering. On the day the “Scotsman” announced that the record price of 235. per stone for live beef had been realised in a Scottish market the Prime Minister (Mr. Lloyd George), in the course of an address to the Industrial Commissioners appointed to report upon the causes of industrial unrest in munition and other labour cent:- 's, stated that “the Government iioped in a short time to make proposals which would have the effect of reducing very considerably the cost of some of the necessaries of life.” To this the “Scotsman” pertinently replied that if the Government was able to do this without drying up the supply and withcut inflicting injustice upon producers and retailers, “they ought to have taken long ago the steps which they now contemplate.” The fact is, however, that (he only field for really effective control is where prices have been pushed up by speculators, standing between the producer and the retailer. The Food Controller found speculative operations in tea and in beans, and ;.e took measures to check this speculation, with the result that prices came down, fn these cases Government intervention was justified. But there are other cases in which the allegation cf “profiteering” requires proof. The “Scotsman,” in support of this argument. takes the case of meat as an example. “This week,’’ it says, “prices' in the open market have reached record figures, while retail prices are now nearly 100 per cent, higher than before the var. Is this to ha ascribed to speculation? Tiie fact that in the open market live stock and dead meat are both

fetching unheard-of prices, suggests that ordinary economic causes are the

explanation. This view was confirmed by Captain Bathurst, who stated in the House of Commons that the prevailing high price of meat was duo “partly to the reduced supply from abroad and partly to the smaller quantity of homoraised stock cjoming io the market, owing to the prolonged winter.” While this argument is apparently sound so far as the meat market of the United Kingdom is concerned, it ought, logically, to operate to the opposite effect in this Dominion. Unfortunately, hou*-

ever, it does not appear to work that way. Here, as in the Motherland, t.-.o retail prices of all classes of butchers’ meat have jumped considerably. Tn this connection it is interesting to conclude with a statement made by the President of the Board of Trade (Si:* Albert Stanley), and reported in the same issue of the “Scotsman” as that

from which we have quoted. Replying to a question, Sir Albert Stanley said: No meat has been “ commandeered” in the Oversea Dominions, hut. with the assistance of the Governments concerned, "the whole exportable output of Australia and New Zealand lias been purchased by agreement, and the following are the prices there of leading qualiBecf per U». Australia 4 7-8(1. New Zealand sd. .Mutton per lb. Australia 5 1-Kd. New Zealand s*d. Lamb per U>. Australia 0 l-Bd. New Zealand G 3-Bd.