The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-11-16 00:00:00

PRICE OF MEET.

Reviewing the reasons assigned for the present high
price of meat, Land and Water writes :
Why ie meat still so horribly expensive' The
tinned beef and mutton from abroad does not appear
to have effected any appreciable amelioration in the
condition of the trade, although, of course, it may be,
perhaps, that the increased consumption of these
meats 13118 prevented the cost of the leg of mutton from
becoming prohibitory to any but the wealthy. This is
a view of the question which space and the inexorable
condition of editors will not allow us further to dis.
Cues. Fodder is Plentiful, our stock of sheep and
cattle, according to our last agricultural returns, is
rapidly increasing, and Ireland is, awaking to a sense
of her position as one of the main arteries, of our
meat-market On the other hand. foot and mouth OW.
ease has played the deuce with the herds in some dis-
tricts, and increased expenses, with augmented wages
also, may be put forth as a reason why meat is not cheap.
There must also be considered the contingent effect of
increased wage* saved by artisane, which doubtless
swells to no inconsiderable extent the dsmand for fresh
butcher's meat; and there are also the exceptional but
necessary restrictions on the importation of foreign
rattle. Therefore, it is to be feare toe supply of meat
for 80111., time toc ime cannot be in eircoes of the de-
mand. It is at the present barely emial to it, and
hence we may fin i the reason why fresh butcher'emeat
still remains, so expensive &commodity. The rinderpest
or cattle plague at present is an agent whoee power are
infinitesimal for evil, a safe and impassable cordon
being drawn round the neighbonrhoods in which it
exists ; but that it does exist in our midst lea fact now
too universally known to be disguised, and is too fre-
quently urged as a c mvenient and plausible reason by
retail butchers for the high price of butcher's meat.
But it is only by anticipation of its destructive pro-
pensities that list existence at present can have any in.
fluence on the meat market.
As a sign of the times, or rather, perhape, as •
result of national pnaperity, using the term in an
universal acme, it is curious to note the increasing
demand for, and consequent high price of meat of the
primest qualities, and the decreasing value and slack-
ening demand for meat of second-rate quality. Prime
beef and mutton is nearly as dear as it was last year,
whereas second quality meat is decidedly cheaper, ergo,
we may say purchasers of inferior meat are not so flu•
merous —a sure sign of increased national prosperity, or
else of the gradually increasing favour in which tinned
meat isheld as a substitute for butcher's meat of second
quality A perusal of the following omparisons of the
prices of stock sold in the Metropolitan Meat Market on
Monday, October the 30th, 1871, and Monday, October
the 28th, 1e72, will exemplify the statement that the de-
mand for inferior meat has declined, while, at the same
time, the prices of primest qualities are also slightly
lower than they were last year; and, taking into con-
sideration the more favourable conditions of the
present season, it may be inferred that the increasing
demand for meat of the primest quality has prevented
lice* from falling to any considerable extent :
In 1871—Seoond quality beasts, Is. to Is. 4d. per 81b,
to sink the offal; prime large oxen, Is. 61 to Is. 8,1.
iitto ; prime Scots, Is. 8.1. to 'ls. 10.1. ditto ; second.
quality cheep, Is. 2.1. to 6.. ditto ; prime Southdown,
6s. 10.1. to 7s. ditto. In 1872—Secombquality bessits,
4s. 43. to 40. 81. per 81b. to sink the offal ; prime laro
oxen, ss. 21. to 5.5. 4.1. ditto; piiase Scots, Is. 6.1. to
ss. Bd. ditto ; second quality cheep, 48 81. to Is. 4d.
di'to ; I,uime Southdown, 6s. 13.1. to fis. 81. ditt.
Fi inn the above statistics we might very naturally
coLclu,'e that meat of all kinds should ho cheaper
than it was last year. Why this is not the case we
must leave to meat salesmen and butchers to explain.
Certain it is that wholesale prices all round are lower.

A NEN,' CLAIMANT. —ln the Court of Session,
Edinburgh, an action has been raised by William
Stephen John Fulton, at present residing in Edinburgh,
against Archibsid William Montgomerie, Earl of
Eglinton, to have himself declared heir to the Eglinton
estates. The pursuer was formerly in the Bth Hussars,
and served in the Crimea. On Friday he presented •
petition to the Court to be admitted to the benefit of
the poor-roll. It was remitted to the Sherif to inquire
Into the circumstances of the case, and to take the
I tuna imelizialaary star.

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