MEAT PRICES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4373, 3 February 1922, Page 2

MEAT PRICES.

Sir,—ln reply to the report of the statements made at the last meeting of the. Ngatea branch of the Farmers’ Union re the prices of meat,. perhaps you will allow me, las one of the butchers concerned, to put pur side of the question before the public through the medium of your paper. In reading the report it reminded me very much of the recent “indignation” meeting held at Ngatea. Those concerned made statements without tak-< ing the trouble to verify them or ascertain the true facts. Dealing first with Mr Green’s statement that the butchers were taking £l4 profit on a 9001 b beast. It would ,be very interesting to us to know liow Mr Green arrives at his figures. The oply solution I can see is that he thinks we are killing bulls, for I understand that they are very cheap and they certainly weigh heavy. In reference to Mr McDuff’s statement re the Feilding butchers selling sheep at 8s per head and retailing it at 2d per lb, I think I can answer that by asking. Mr McDuff if he would care to eat . that mutton. At tlie present time a 651 b wether is worth £1 0s 4d, or 3%d per lb, on the hooks .at Westfiel'd. I put the same question to Mr Cleaver with reference to the state.ment he made. Would he like to eat lhe 30s per head stuff he mentioned ? I would like to point out to Mr Cleaver that the beef he gets from the local butcher has! cost even at the lowest prices ruling now £1 or more per cwt. Perhaps it would be interesting to many, and certainly fair to everybody, if I compared the present prices and the prices ruling 12 months ago. I think for the comiparison I should take a 6001 b ox, which is .about the best size for country . butchers. Before the drop such a bullock was. worth about £l5 10s, and .at the present timp it is worth about £7 10s. This Shows a difference of £8 to be accounted fob As far as I- know (and it certainly applies to me) the butchers have re,duced the retail price 2d or more per lb al! rqund from what it was 13 months ago. Taking this fact into consideration the said difference 1°

I do not think anyone can dispute the above flgur.es unless it is the butchers, many of whom can show more than 2d reduction in the retail price of meat. Add to this the fact that wages and a\l other expenses have not come down in proportion, and that the country butchers experience great difficulty in getting then’ nioney, in which means interest on outlay, and I think the critics will find thg butcher to-day in a worse position than he was 12 months ago. In conclusion, I woul/1 like, on behalf of the local' butchers, to thank Mr W. J Clare for his proposal that the discussion at the last meeting of the Ngatea branch of the Farmers* Union should be deferred Until I was present. W. G. HAYWARD. Ngatea February

made up as follows: To 2d per lb drop on 6001b £5 0 0 To reduction, value of ‘hide 1 b 0 To reduction, value tallow 1' 1 6 £7 6 6