MEAT PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2820, 11 July 1916, Page 8

MEAT PROBLEM

The meat problem is probably more acute in South Australia than in any otlier .State of Australia, says the Melbourne 1 "Age" of Juno' 201 South Australia, in addition to suffering from the shortage-which has been caused.by tho war and. tho; drought, has an Abbatoirs Act and an -Abbatoirs Board. The Act prohibits the sale of imported frozen meant,. and. the. board has up to the present insisted, despite the abnormal conditions, in carrying out the strict letter of the law, notwithstanding tho fact that the Government has promised to introduce legislation immediately : on the reassejubling of Parliament, to indemnify the board against any- action that might be taken against- it for breaking the law. The Minister of Indnstry recently, announced that it'was' his intention'to ask Cabinet to. introduce! amending legislation to permit the sale in South Australia of frozen meat from ■other States and from Now Zealand. iKeferring to the moi?s' tickets which have been issued -in Germany, and in order to -show'the serious condition of, affairs in iSonth Australia, the Minister said that iwith a coritnuajice of present conditions ~it was possible, in a few months' time, ; that even South Australians would be .getting their meat on restricted coupons ;issuc-d by the Government. If it had - not been for the restrictions, imposed by "the Abattoirs Act there would, in his "opinion,, have been a sufficient supply of for requirements, and'butchers would have. bfen able. to sell at from

Gtl. to 7d. per lb. The present price for mutton chops is Is. per 18., anil the prospects, according to the Minister, are that not only will prices ho higher, but in the future only a limited number of poopla will Ixs able to obtain riic-at.