H.—lB

CXVIII

Murray, Wm., General Manager Christchurch Meat Company, Christchurch (11/6/12 ; p. 78) — Re wholesale prices—Fluctuated very much—Meat exported, thirteen to sixteen million carcases—Local consumption almost negligible—No trusts or combines—Retail shops being reduced and done away with— Freezing-charges ex ship, ljd. pound-—Sheep, Id.—Tendency for labour to give less work for a given wage. Garrett, J. W., Butcher, Auckland (28/6/12 ; p. 345) — •Prices fluctuating over eight years—Trading is free and open—No bond binding retailers. Reid, D., Butcher and Grocer, Auckland (28/6/12 ; p. 345) — Re Merchants' Association and " scaled " groceries—Auckland Butchers combine—Meal prices fixed Penalties imposed—Bond of £25—Witness conducts cash trade—Sells meat cheaper by Id. per pound—Retail prices quoted—Wholesale buying methods—Attempts to boycott at auction. Salmon, Robert, Master Butcher, Auckland (24/6/12 ; p. 279) — No material rise in meat-prices in ten years—Bad debts equal 1 to 2J per cent.—Labour cost increased 25 to 30 per cent.—Wholesale prices of beef lower—Mutton prices quoted wholesale and retail—Present wages quoted, paid to shopmen—Abattoir charges and railway freights. Wing, Samuel, Manager Hellaby's, Auckland (26/6/12 ; p. 320)— Meat prices, wholesale and retail, 1903-1912 reduction shown and not members of association—Control of twenty-six shops—Prices not fixed—Competition keen—Wages increased 20 per cent.—Abattoir charges —Railway service satisfactory. Barber, E. D., Master Butcher, Wellington (10/7/12 ; p. 458)— Local meat as high-class as that exported—Abattoir charges—How meat is purchased wholesale—Retail prices given for 1902 and 1912—Cost of distribution equals 0-96 d. per pound—Local prices on bed-rock —Prices not fixed by Retailers' Association. Hampton, Erle, Master Butcher, Palmerston North (11/7/12 ; p. 479) — Re meat-buying Palmerston North—Butchers associated—Prices fixed by agreement—Bond fixed £20— Penalty for breaking—Promissory note payable on demand—Breach of Commercial Trust Act—Retail meat prices Palmerston North— Re abattoirs privately owned—Not satisfactory—One butcher outside association. Matthews, D. P., Butcher, Wellington (4/7/12 ; p. 403)— Docs not belong to local association—Prices Id. per pound lower—Association regulates prices—Wholesale prices of beef—Wholesale market for meat-buying open—Association prices fair— Re delivery expenses. Dixon, G., Butcher, Christchurch (11/6/12 ; p. 76)— Marked increase meat-prices—Wages of butchers—Home markets control local prices—Local retail prices for cash—Cost of delivery Id. per pound—Abattoir charges—No combine or monopoly—High prices of stock responsible rise in price rural land. Smith, Thomas, Master Butcher, Dunedin (7/6/12 ; p. 52)- — No combination—Buying open—Prices of mutton and beef, retail and wholesale—Wages of men—Efficiency of men satisfactory. Steel, F. H., Master Butcher, Christchurch (17/6/12 ; p. 1.75) — Prices not increased last twenty years despite high wages paid—Home market regulates local prices, beef excepted—Quality of local mutton not up to Home standard— Re abattoir expenses and charges—Cost of running shop |d. per pound—Master Butchers' Association does not regulate prices—Witness's turnover very large—Charge for delivery |d. pound over cash price—Wholesale prices of beef, 28s. to 30s. Mathevvson, A., Butcher, Dunedin (5/6/12 ; p. 23) — Method of buying meat—Retails at lowest prices in Dunedin—Cash only—His firm not in any combination —No evidence to give re existence of any ring—Delivery expenses Id. per pound.—Wholesale prices of beef. Sill, W. E., Secretary, Butchers' Union, Auckland (28/6/12 ; p. 338) — Wages increased 15 to 20 per cent.—Wages nothing to do with meat-prices—Home markets fix prices—Locally sold meat inferior in quality to exported meat—Meat-prices fixed by association—Effect of competition on meat-prices—Scale showing prices 1909 and 1911 fixed by association— Re wholesale buying—Cheaper than Christchurch—Delivery charges |d. extra over cash— Re operations of association—Only one butcher outside combine—lgnorance of meat-buyers—Difficulty of teaching children in domestic-economy classes as to selecting good and bad meat—Average weight of meat delivered daily. Moore, F. T., Live-stock Dealer, Wellington (8/7/12 ; p. 433)— Re combine of meat companies in North Island—Operations explained—Meat companies and auctioneers acting together—Auctioneers fix fictitious values—Favours nationalization of meat industry— Re bankers and small traders. Reak.es, C. J., Director Live-stock Division, 'Agriculture Department, AVellington (6/7/12 ; p. 426) — Considerable improvement in standard quality of stock—Keen demand for dairy cows—Land speculation and " paying " value—Labour difficulty a general complaint with farmers—Farmers' children not unduly affected by dairy-work—Dairy cow, census 1911—Butter-fat average returns—Meat exported and retailed locally compared—Local meat sold equally as good as that exported— Be bacon industry—Loss in curing. &c.—Cost of distribution discussed—Poultry industry being fostered— Scarcity of labour—Remedies and difficulties discussed. G. Milk. Taylor, Cornelius, ex-Dairyman, Auckland (21/6/12 ; p. 255) — Cost of milk delivery 2Jd. per gallon—Systematic delivery not possible under private control—Municipal or Government control of industry too expensive—Wages of carters—Milk-consumption average .1 quart per week per individual—Effect on children's health—Prices arranged by association—Cost of producing milk summer and winter—Quality of milk sold good—Wholesale milk prices, Bd. and 7d. per gallon —Employees must not enter into competition—Agreement explained. Keirby, J., Dairyman, Wellington (10/7/12 ; p. 467)— Be wholesale and retail prices of milk—English rates quoted. Maher, James, Milkman, Christchurch (11/6/12 ; p. 91)— Milk 4d. winter and 3d. summer—No combine among milk-proprietors—Unfavourable towards municipal control—Land rates very high—Bad debts very rife.