The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1920-01-16
QUEENSLAND HAS
OWN MEAT SHOPS
State Handling Cuts Price TO
Public and Raises Price
to Farmers

Absolute proof of the success of the
state as Il mildleman in reducing the
cost of living comes from the province
of Queensland. Australia. Mhile we
in privately owned America are paying
over 30 cents a pound for sirloin steak
the people of Queensland buy the
same kind of meat for 13 cents
pound, and the farmer gets more there
for livestock than here. all because
the state not only OWNS stockyards
and packing plants. as the Nonparti-
san League advocates. hut this provin
cial government also owns butcher
shops and sells meat directly to- the
people. retaining only IL small profit
for the state, which is used To reduce
taxes.
w. r. Ahern. a we'll known Austria
liam correspondent for American news
papers, in n recent communication
gave the following account of the
Queensland state-nwned meat shops:
Established by Labor.
"When the Ryan labor government
secured power, he says, in the state
| of Queensland in 1918. ii set about
| .clleapening the prices of foodStntls for
| the people. Ignoring the old-f;lshioned
| ideas of price-tiNins boards. lit Went TO
4 the heart of the matter by introducing
a competitive scheme of its own. The
price of meat, largely owing to the
operations of the American meat trust
| i'm Australia, had reached {, prohibitive
| figure. Stockholders were either with
] holding their stocks and thus creating
4 shortages or the meat trust was cor
| herring supplies and thus forcing up
The price of the local supplies. Beef.
| which ut the outbreak of the war was
~ cents a pound had by 1915 doubled
| i'm price and threatened to 90 even
higher.
"1he Ryan government at once set
out to inaugurate state-Owned retail
| shops, allowing one shop to become a
success before embarking on another.
The first shop was opened in the city
4 of Brisbane i'm November. 1915, and
its success was instantaneous the only
difficulty being in coping with the rush
of trade.
State Shops Popular.
Noting the success of this one shOp
there was an immediate clamor from
all parts Of the state for government
meat shops.
| "There are now thirty-seven state
butchers shops distributed throughout
the state Of Queensland. principally in
the large cities and towns.
"At the time Of writing these shons
are serving over 2O,ODO customers daily
and, taking five to family, It will he
seen that there are 100000 consumers
OF state meat. Az the population Of
Queensland ID only 67O,OOO all told
this ts a very creditable performance
for the Ryan government 30 far. But
apart from this direct benefit, there II
also the indirect benefit to the whole
population arising from the fact that
the private retailer IL forced to trent
his customers much more fairly than
would have been the case had there
been no state-owned shops selling
cheap meat.
state Makes Profit.
ut should he stated here that II wa.
not the Intention Of the Ryan govern.
ment to make a profit on the scheme.
but to give the people cheap neat,
Stll. despite the fact that the scheme
mad been responsible for striking re.
auctions In tine price Of meat the state
shops have renped handsome profits.
which are tc b used 70 further extend
scheme. During the year 1871.
une to June lfieat to the value Of
10000 (f3O0.OOO) was sold in the
] 'te sb0ns. and there was a net nrofi'