The establishment of Mr. Adie at Voe (Olnafirth) is one of the
largest in Shetland. No specimens were obtained from it for
examination; but the oral evidence as to the provisions sold there
may be briefly referred to. Mr. Adie himself admits that the cost
of carriage necessarily enhances prices at Voe, and that meal is
therefore generally 2s. per boll dearer than at Lerwick. A witness
who lately went to live there, however, paid 1s. 5d. per peck for
meal which he would have got in Lerwick for 1s. 2d., or five
months ago for 1s. 3d. This is a difference not of 2s., but of 4s.
per boll; and although the witness Gilbert Scollay impressed me
unfavourably by the manner of his evidence, there is much to
corroborate his statement with regard to his dealings with the shop
at Voe. He says that -
'Ultimately I wrote to the meal dealers in the south, and I found
that there was a difference of 10s. on the sack of meal; that, upon
12 sacks, would have been a saving of £6 alone.'
[T.M. Adie, 5699; R. Mouat, 4240; C. Robertson, 15,040.]
Of course 2s. 6d., or in winter, according to Mr. Adie, 5s. per sack,
must be deducted from this difference for freight. Again, on April
21, 1868, meal being 26s. 6d. per boll see or 1s. 7d. per peck, was
sold at Voe at 1s. 9d. per peck.
[See G. Scollay, 14,975; C. Robertson, 15,040.]