272
HAMBURG.
consumption of meat by the working classes returns obtained from 387 families,
containing 1,176 persons, showed an average weekly consumption of 28 ounces
per person, which is at the rate of 91¿ lb. per annum. Pork and bacon
amounted to slightly over one-third of the whole ; beef comes next with about
26 per cent., the cheaper qualities being chiefly eaten ; and then follows sausage
with 23 per cent. Mutton and veal are but little eaten, the latter being ruled
out owing to its high price. It is seldom that more than 2 lb. of beef is
bought at once, and such purchases as a rule take place at the week-end ;
during the week the usual purchase is three, four, or sixpence worth, according
to circumstances. If the workman’s wife, who does the shopping, is buying
pork she generally restricts her purchase to half-a-pound if the cut is foreloin
or spare rib, but of cheaper cuts she may buy 1 lb. or 2 lb. at once.
The predominant prices of beef as retailed in shops specially frequented by
the working classes were in October, 1905, from l\d. to 8\d. for the better cuts,
except steak, which the working classes seldom buy, and which cost from
Is. 2d. to Is. 5^c?., while the cheapest cuts, shin with and without bone, cost
5d. to o^d. and 6^d. to Id. respectively. There was little variation as between
one joint and another in the price of mutton, the price being about 9£¿7. Veal
ranged from Q^d. to 7fd. for shin, and 8£¿7. for shoulder with bone to 9£(7. for
hind quarter, 9\d. to 1W. for shoulder without bone, and 11¿7. for loin. The
most usual price for pork at the same date was 8|\d., rising to 9£¿7. for leg and
foreloin and to 11(7. for chops. The “Production” Co-operative Society has
its own slaughterhouse and two meat shops, and in addition it delivers meat
ordered by members to the nearest provision shops. The turnover in this
department of its business in 1906 amounted to £30,000, equal to 15 4 per cent,
of the ‘ society’s entire sales. Its prices are somewhat below those generally
charged by private butchers.
In general there has for several years been a steady advance in the price of
meat, as may be seen from the following statement of retail prices per pound,
prepared by the Bureau of Commercial Statistics for the Military Authorities :—
1903.
Max. Min
1904.
1905.
Max. Min. j Max. ! Min
1906.
Max. Min
Beef :—
Leg
Belly
Pork
Bacon (smoked) ..
per lb.
10(7.
7#(7.
8#
9^(7.
81 d.
6#
7{(7.
8pi.
10d.
7#
8W.
8#d.
8|(7.
6|(7.
7¿(7.
8p/.
10W.
8<7.
10 d.
9(7.
7^(7.
8W.
9W.
11 id.
8f d.
10\d.
10§(7.
9\d.
8(7.
9 d.
iopz.
The Abattoir Authorities certify the following mean retail prices per pound
for veal and mutton during the same years
Teal ..
Mutton
per lb.
1903.
9f(7.
8^(7.
1904.
1905.
1906.
9&(7.
8&(7.
9|(7.
9(7.
10#(7.
9|(7.
Sausage here as elsewhere forms an important part of the flesh diet of the
working classes. Of the average meat consumption per head shown by the returns
of working class consumption, 23 per cent, consisted of sausage. The varieties
are numerous, but as a rule only the cheaper kinds are bought by working people
and generally in small quantities. Among the more popular kinds are boiled
“ Mett ” sausage made of pork, liver sausage, and blood sausage, costing in
1907 9\d. per lb., “red” pork sausage, costing 6J(7., “boiling” sausage, made
of beef and pork, costing L0(7., while other kinds commonly stocked are tongue
sausage, costing from 11|d. to Is. 3\d., “ salz ” sausage (pork), costing 9\d. to
11(7., Brunswick “ Mett” sausage, costing ll£(7., and “ Block ” sausage, made
of ox flesh and pork, costing Is. 2^d.
Hamburg has not a “ Freibank ” for the sale of such meat as cannot be
certified by the Abattoir Inspector as of unobjectionable quality, but it protects
the consumer by means of its meat boiling establishment. The meat which
