MEAT PRICES

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23741, 12 September 1942, Page 2

MEAT PRICES

TRIBUNAL’S ORDER “All possible is being done to expedite as much as possible the introduction of local meat grading and the use of approximately ttfad mg marks and standards as defined by the Standards Institute,’ said th ®. Tribunal, commenting on a Aetiei: xo the editor of “The Press” from Overcharged,” writing from Kaikoura. In reply, the Price Tribunal emphasised that the prices defined by me new meat price order dp not on an overall basis represent an increase over those defined in the earlier order, it was, however, not unlikely that the correspondent in making comparison between prices at present charged and those charged some months back had overlooked the incidence of the seasonal rises which operate each year during the late winter and spring months. Such rises, all of which were provided for in the price order, were no greater this year than m previous years. They were necessary to_ coyer the additional costs involved in tne fattening of stock during the otner than normal fattening season. If the correspondent would moicaxe the name and address of the butchers to whom the allegations referred comprehensive test purchases would be made in the prescribed manner to ensure that there was no departure from the terms of the price order this being the practice always resorted to in instances where there was a possibility of legal action eventuating. The tribunal emphasised that the regulations made it obligatory on the part of butchers to keep a copy of the price order or a statement of the prices fixed thereby prominently displayed in the shop where goods are sold or otfered for sale, or alternatively to keep in the shop a record or file of the price order available for inspection by customers on request. The price order made it obligatory on butchers, when supplying meat of other than the quality and specification set forth in the order as being related to the basic prices, to reduce the prices so defined. For instance, the maximum price chargeable for "prime quality cow beef is 20 per cent, below that for prime ox or heifei beef, while the price would be.subject to a second reduction of 20 per cent, if cow beef of other than "prime quality was supplied. ________________