50 years ago

HEAVILY increased killing charges at the Hamilton abattoir are forcing local butchers to kill their meat out of town. Since Grange BONED Meats took over the formerly council controlled abattoir in 1971, charges have more than doubled. The Hamilton charges are not in line with a general trend through the State as many other centres have a scale of fees well below the local rates. Grange Boned Meats recently moved into retailing in the city when it bought out two shops formerly owned by W. Newsome Pty. Ltd. Independent butchers in the city, in an effort to avoid increasing retail prices, have been getting meat from other centres. It is interesting to compare the Hamilton charges with those operating at Warrnambool, a council controlled operation.