NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Taihape Daily Times, 29 December 1917, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

RETURNED SOLDIERS. TO ARRIVE EARLIER THAN NOTIFIED. ’ v WELLINGTON, this day. Base Record Office advises that a transport with a draft of 130 soldiers, consisting of troops returning to New Zealand, is now expected to reach Auckland on the 2nd or - SrdTTanuary, instead of the 4th as notified to next of kin. * FOUND DEAD. A RETURNED SOLDIER’S END. ROTORUA, this day, Samuel Herbert Hunter, a discharged soldier, was found dead on the town belt plantation last night. He had apparently been dead 48 hours. There were no signs of violence. He was aged 36 years and had enlisted in the Wellington Mounted Rifles, Seventh Reinforcements.

LIBERATION OF FROZEN MEAT. TO BE SOLD. IN. THE; DOMINION.: -TIM jNEW;>CALE ■OF PRICES ,r , l aow ! 1; WELL^GTQN^.Dec. 28, ~, i;/ instructions: from the Prime Minister,; Board of Trade is now" making. the, final arrangements under Which, from January Ist, all butchers in ihe. Dominion will be entitled to obtain frozen and other meat from freezing works at the Imperial purchase rates, without the addition of storage charges, an item which caused difficulties when the scheme first came into operation. The scale rates to the retailer range from 5 7-8 d per lb for fiystl quality ’ wethers,' 4 i-8d per lb second ’quality, from 6 i-8d per lb. for lamb, s'd per lb for prims, ox beef 4|d for second quality,' 6 3-8 d for mutton legs, and 5 3-8 d for other portions of the mutton ‘carcase. Customers will notice a fairly big disparity between scale wholesale prices and those charged retail, but it has been shown that a large amount of money has to he paid by the consumer for the service of cutting up, retailing, and distributing meat in the small quantities required by the average purchaser. The Board of Trade does not intend to fix maximum prices for retail at present, but as it is well informed regarding these points,, no doubt action will be taken if an undue profit is put on, by the butchers. It is of Interest to note that a large butchery firm in Wellington which sold spring lamb at 8d and 9d per lb over the counter has been deluged with customers, and it is continuing its cheap meat-over-the-counter policy, educating hundreds of Wellingtonians regarding the saving through their own delivery.

It is anticipated that the new scheme will bring down the prices of meat in Auckland, where it has been dearer than in other parts of New Zealand for the last two months.