CHEAP MEAT DISAPPOINTING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1635, 31 December 1912, Page 7

CHEAP MEAT DISAPPOINTING.

DAIRYING AND BEEF SUPPLY,

[ "I don't think 1 we shall ever have, really, cheap 'meat again." u . Such was the- remark : made' by. - a gentleman engaged in wholesale meat trade to an Auckland "Star representawho waited on him m order, to hna out wKat the .general state -of -the meat market was lit present. As an explanation of ; the theory he stated that'as far as beef was concerned, there was a strong disinclination, on the part of settlers on the.'land to go in for,beef raising.instead of 'dairying. The :reason was that dairying," although really harder, work, was far "more-, rehftble and profitable. At present the meat supply was just enough to cope-with the demand.. Freezing was practically out of the question. ' Lastweek," said 'the informant, "I purchased a line, of 800 lambs, and this.morning I have riot been able to obtain, a single hoof, owing' to the' Christmas rush; Lambs have-been' soiling very, very-well —up to as high as 19s. fid. ■ per head, and wethers up to 21s. 6d. per head. This makes freezing absolutely prohibitive. These' are. wethers; too, so. there •is nothing to ibe'iunadevoiit o£ the wool. The machine • shears' 1 them 'considerably 'closer ','than 1 they; can -be - shorn ..byhand,' We aKKfreezinpfrcfeu-erUand l '! fewer! lambs, and as for freezing beef, this is practically not done now. As long as thebutter market continues.; as at '..present there' will bo no change in prices—certainly no - selling fit eighteen or twenty shillings per' Hundred,; as • was the case not many. j'ears ago."'.';. , : .' _ , Another meat trade representative supplied- information regarding the retail prices that prevail - to-day as compared with those of eighteen months ago. Two of the lines in beef showed an increase. Corned round beef sold at 6d. per .lb., |d. dearer, ,and 'boned brisket had advanced from to sd. , For 'sausage meat' a decrease from sd. .to id. had taken plaoe. For certain, mutton lines there had also '• been advances. Hindquarters had' risen. from 4Jd.. to 5d., and shank end legs from . fid. to G.Jd. ,On the other hand, however,' forequarters had decreased from. Ski. to 3d., and necks from 4sd. t0.4d..' Veal showed a couple of decreases. Cutlets had fallen-from-9d. to Bd., andt fovequarters from 4d. to 1 3. l-Bd. Pork showed the; heaviest increases. The price I of . loin liad risen from 6d. to 7d. uer lb., chops'" from 7d. to Bd., and' coineil belly from Gd. to 7d. ' >; . ' '

■ It was' pointed • out by another dealer that the bad season had had the effect of' increasing prices. Possibly, with-i a fine next year there might be a reduction ■' in ; the . 'prices of certain lines. ; . • •