In Unst a witness got meal from Spence & Co., at the date of the
sitting there, at 1s. 5d. per peck, or as nearly as possible 24s. 11/2d.
per boll, allowing 1/2d. a peck for loss in weighing; the price in
Lerwick being 19s. 6d. per boll, or 131/2d. a peck. During almost
the whole of the previous year the same price was charged there,
though it was sometimes 1s. 4d.; and 1s. 4d. was the price of the
same meal at Isbister's adjacent shop. The books kept at Balta
Sound show that meal was being sold at 5s. 8d. and 5s, 9d. per
lispund, or above 24s. per boll, in October 1871, while the price
in Lerwick in that month was 19s. 6d. per boll. An opinion is
expressed by the registrar of the parish Unst, that the 2s. 6d. tea he
gets in Lerwick is 'much about the same as the 3s. tea which he
gets from Spence & Co. at Balta Sound. But a favourable report
upon Spence & Co.'s 3s. tea sold to me is afterwards referred to.
[Janet Robertson, 9812; C, Robertson, 15,042; J. Laurenson, 9843,
9905; W. G. Mouat, 10,254; C. Robertson, 15,040; P. Johnson,
10,227.]
SKERRIES
At Skerries, where Mr. Adie has the shop, and is tacksman of the
islands, meal is said to be charged 7s. a sack higher than it is in
Lerwick; and an instance is given in which 6s. a sack was paid for
it, while it could have been had from any merchant in Lerwick for
50s. or 51s. In January of the present year the price was 1s, 4d. per
peck, or 23s. per per boll, at Skerries, being 19s. 6d., or 1s. 11/2d.
per peck, at Lerwick. A similar difference existed in spring 1871.
All articles at Skerries are stated to be over-priced, such as soap,
soda, and sugar, which can be got much cheaper even at Whalsay,
where Hay & Co. have a shop. On soda the overcharge is said to
be 50 per cent.
[T. Hutchison, 12,658; J. Robertson, sen., 14,569; P. Henderson,
12,756; D. Anderson, 12,795; A. Humphrey, 12,826; T. Hutchison,
12,685.]