THE PRICE OF MEAT.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11482, 15 January 1903, Page 2

THE PRICE OF MEAT.

WELLINGTON MASTER BUTCHERS' UNION.

(SPECIAL TO "THE PKBSS.") I WELLINGTON, January 14. At -tihe annual meeting of the Wellington Master Butehere' Union last night, it was reported that every master butcher in the, city and the immediate suburbs now belong-1 ed to the Union. Mr F. R. Bust, the Union c authorised delegate to the master butchers of Canterbury and Otago, reported concerning hie mission, having in view .the federation of the trade of the entire colony in order to bring united pressure to bear on the Government regarding t!he operation of tihe Slaughterhouse Act, and all legislation likely to prove detrimental to the trade generally. Mr Bust met with a cordial reception front the Southern master butchers, and he expressed himself as sanguine of good results. He also reported that the retail prices of meat in many of the Southern towns were in excess of the Wellington retail prices, whilst in Dunedin Mr Bust learned itfbait the master butchers there had formed themselves into a limited liability tallow company fox the purpose of treating (Mr own rough fat. The result was an increased return on ibis commodity of about 30 per cent-, in addition to 3 per oent. interest on paid-up capital, and a bonus pro ration the amount of fat supplied- { It was decided last night to wrote to -tflje' Dunedin batchers for a copy of their prospectus and also to set up a committee to consider tihe adtviaabkness of following the Southern example. Much diasaitisfaetian was expressed at tib* long continued high price of stock.

The Ttefa.lg«r Company's dredge has eeflered very cousiderab y wio fe n »u.t; ( oc.»g scoured into the fsce. The Kohincor Company's dredge _ to glon for Ihree days to rcplare 'be tuiabier. She is aow working we';l, ?r.d ieiurrts ere espectea on Saturciay. The Hckititek River C>m»any''s iiontoons have been dismantled, and are being towed to Westpo'rt, ar.d will be -ised for Urcdging on the Buller River. Tbe Mahirapua Company's dredge and plani }ravo been purchased by Mr Joseph Taylor, who intend* making alterations and the ground a iresn trial. The machinery of the Perry's Reward dredge ia row r.il on the iuont-ezuroa Company c clsim. end a start should be made at actual dredging in about three moatha.