NEW MEAT PRICES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 181, 2 August 1941, Page 8

NEW MEAT PRICES

BUTCHERS COMPLAIN

CONFERENCE NEXT WEEK

Widespread dissatisfaction is reported to exist among butchers at the recent order of the Price Tribunal fixing the maximum retail prices of meat throughout the Dominion, and it was learned m Auckland today that the New Zealand Master Butchers' Federation called a conference to be held in Wellington on Mondav. There, it is stated, the matter will be thoroughly discussed and certain representations made to the Price Tribunal urging modification of the order.

Although provision was made in the order for seasonal increases and decreases above and below the basicrates, the existing prices are especially onerous at this time of the year since stock prices are rising owing to the winter shortage, said the executive of a leading meat firm in an interview to-day. Butchers have had to reduce their rates by about Id a pound, and this is particularly oppressive in the case of beef. Apparently the Tribunal fixed the prices on the basis that the cost of meat had increased by 6.3 per cent during the period from the outbreak of war to the present. The butchers maintain that this rise was caused through the British Governments contract for the purchase of meat from this country, which led to a firming in the prices of live stock. Another grievance was that the retail maximum prices applied to the whole Dominion, ignoring the variation in the demand for different classes of meat in different localities. Certain joints, moreover. might not be in demand, but there was no provision for lowering the price on these and raising the prices in the case of other classes of joints. Additions could certainly be made to the price during spring months. but already spring prices were ruling for fat stock and butchers were thus being penalised.