The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-09-29
Serious Blow To The
Irish Cattle Trade
Grave Menace to Great irish Industry
-vtews Of stockholders
and Merchants.

-vteWo OF stockholders
and Merchants.
Dublin, Ireland.-The announcement
that the Food Controller intends to
adhere to the scale of cattle price fixed
some weeks ago is regarded as seri
GUS blow to the Irish cattle trade. and
the opinion is expressed that If the
January price is not revised hundreds
of Irish farmers will be faced with
ruin.
The Order came as a bombshell in
the Dublin Cattle Market. Values de.
preciated to extent of 80. cwt. for
cattle, Is. to As. head for sheep, and
the jig trade was adversely affected.
The abandonment of next Tuesdays
market has caused considerable mis-.
givings, and it is believed that the
project has been permanently aban.
doned. The Army Cattle Committee
London, has informed Navan Urban
Council that it is not anticipated that
the purchase of cattle for the army
will in any way interfere with the
cattle fairs or normal trade generally
and that the present proposal is to Sc
lect cattle at the principal ports of
shipment, the cattle being brought to
these ports in the usual way.
1t was stated at the Birkenhead
Cattle Market that the Food Control
Ter contemplates a Encouragement of
the fixed prices, and that the official
maximum will automatically advance
from Cos. to 74s. per cwt., live weight.
Lord Rhondda, it is stated, is con.
sidering the substitution for the lat
ter figure of the Dublin Cattle Mar
ket price.
Opinion in the Market.
Some stockholders and statesmen at
the Dublin market yesterday seemed
inclined to think that the Order
would not apply to Ireland. With re-
gard to the abandonment of next
Tuesdays cattle market, for which ar
rangements had been completed, a
prominent salesman remarked that the
industry is in danger of being de-
stroyed by the Governments inapti-
tude. Some stockholders were of
opinion that the Government will pur-
chase direct from the farmers, while
others believe that the inadequate
cold storage facilities in England
forced the Controller to abandon the
scheme.
The market yesterday opened prom
isingly, and there was a large attend
ance of buyers from Great Britain.
Opening prices average from 68s. to
70s. per cwt. live weight, and prime
animals fetched as high as 75s. When
the Food Controllers announcement
became known there was decided
fall, and values deprecated in fact to
the extent of 3s. a cwt, and many
lots at that price remained undisposed
of. The Order also had the effect of
reducing the value Of sheep from Is.
to as. head on last weeks quota
tions. There was also prompt effect
on the pig trade, and salesmasters for
close on two hours could not effect
clearances.
Serious Blow to Farmers.
Emphasizing the serious effect the
Order would have on the trade, lead
ing stockowner said the men who had
purchased cattle at high prices to
be turned out as beef next January
could only look forward to heavy loss
es. If the January price was not re-
vised hundreds of Irish farmers would
be faced with ruin, and there would
also be famine in manure next year.
A leading Co. Kildare farmer said
probably offer to bear half the expense
of the cake feeding for stall-feds. This
however, would give rise to many
abuses.
Prominent Dublin victuallers were,
on the whole, pleased with the sched-
ule of wholesale maximum dead meat
prices just fixed. One gentleman who
has a number of houses in the city
believes if the ordinary avenues of
supply and demand had not been in
terferred with substantial reduction
in price could now be afforded to the
public. "Our business at home here
wiil,' he said, "be guided by the mar
gin on the other side of the Channel,
and Ireland will, as usual, have no
say in the matter. AS far as our
trade is concerned we would be quite
satisfied with the 21zd. per lib. which
the Order allows us, If we received
a guarantee that this margin would
be allowed us until such time as the
ordinary laws of supply and demand
again operate"
Consumers Outlook.
Another victualler said that, calcu-
lating on the basis of the price fixed
for cattle live weight during Sept.
the public could not hope for very
much of a reduction. The prices for
the finer parts of the beef would be
from Is. Cd. to Is. Sd. lib. and rib
steaks and coarser parts Is. Sd. to Is.
5d nor III