MEAT FOR THE ARMY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2400, 4 March 1915, Page 7

MEAT FOR THE ARMY

SCHEDULE OF PRICES

GOVERNMENT SCHEME. IN

OPERATION

The scheme for the purchase of the • surplus of'meat in New Zealand by the Dominion Government on account of tho Home Government came into operation yesterday. lie Prime Minister will supervise tho working of it generally. Details are to he entrusted to Mr. R. Triggs, Assistant Public Service Commissioner;, the grading of meat will be laidcr the control of Mr. C. J. Reakes, Chief Veterinarian in the Department of Agriculture; and Mr. F. H. Taylor, formerly of Dalgety and Company, will in at) age tho accountancy side' or the operations. Following is the schedule of prices to be paid for meat, f.o.b.: —Wethers, first quality, 721b. and under, 4}d.; wethers, first quality, over 721b., 4jd.; wethers, second quality, 4J<L; ewes, first quality, 721b. and under, 4d.; ewes, first quality, over 721b., 3sd.; ewes, second quality, 3Jd.; lamb, specially prime (Canterbury quality), 421b. and under, 5 5-Bd.; lamb, first quality, 421b. and under, Sid.; I lamb, first quality, 421b. and over, 5Jd.; lamb, second quality, ojd.; beef, prime ox, 4Jd.; beef, second and heifer, 4Jd.; beef, boning, in quarters, 4d.; beef, cow, prime, 4JcL; 'beef, oow, second, ' 4d.; beef, boneless, 5d.; mutton, legs, sjd.; mutton, shoulders, 4jd-; mutton, loins, 4-Jd.

The above prices relate .to meat slaughtered on- or after March 1, 1915. | As-to meat in. freezing-chambers prior to that date, an allowance of 3-Bd. per lb. will be made in addition to the above prioes, to cover storage and other incidental expenses. In addition to the above prices storage will be paid for as follows 1 :—(1) In the case of meat in store prior to March 1,1915, no storage will ,be paid until the expiry of one calendar month ■ from that day, and thereafter the rate of storage shall be per lb. per calendar month or portion or a month. (2) In the i case of meat slaughtered on or after March. 1, 1915, no, storage shall be paid for ,the first calendar month after slaughtering, and thereafter the rate of storage shall be l-Bd. per lb. per calendar month or portion of a month. (3) The total storage for any period shall in no case exceed 3-Sd. per lb. ; "It goes without saying," Mr. Massey remarked to a Dominion reporter yesterday, "that this is the biggest tiling in the way of the disposal of .our surplus meat that has ever been attempted in New Zealand, and although the .prices arranged are not by any means extreme, all the experts whom I have consulted (producers and others) have expressed the opinion that they are perfectly fair to both parties—the producer on one side and tne Imperial Government on tho other. I do not say for one moment that the scheme is perfect, because I have no doubt that some of the details may be considerably ' improved upon as the result of experience, and I am, naturally, anxious' that tho scheme shall run as smoothly as, possible. ' "Evory firm arid every individual, as far as I know, in the. meat trade is perfectly willing to stand aside and allow the trade to pass into the hands of, the New Zealand Government'for the purpose of supplying the British Army, and, possibly, the armies of the Allies. On my own hehalf and on behalf of the Government,'l.desire to say that we deeply approciate the patriotic manner in which we have been met by all the parties , concerned in the initiation of tho scheme." .