SHORTAGE OF MEAT

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24570, 19 May 1945, Page 2

SHORTAGE OF MEAT

* IMPROVED POSITION AT CITY . ABATTOIR Killing at the municipal abattoir would in future be improved, said the chairman of the Christchurch City Council’s abattoir committee (Cr. J. N. Clarke) yesterday after he had visited the abattoir and conferred with the manager (Mr W. C. Carr). It was pointed out by Cr. Clarke that the meat shortage last week had been caused because the Addington sale was held last Wednesday, but there had been no killing at the abattoir during the V-E celebrations. On Friday the men were unable to slaughter enough for the week-end, but additional men had been put on since to assist killings. Criticism had been made by Mr F. J. Tentori, a member of the executive of the Canterbury Master Butchers’ Association, regarding the position at the abattoir. Butchers had been having their killing orders cut by 50 per cent., he said, and had been kept in short supply through no fault of their own. In an effort to keep faith with the public some butchers had gone to the abattoir and killed their own sheen, and others had got supplies from the north to maintain their stocks.

Claiming .that the city abattoir belonged to the citizens of Christchurch Mr Tentori said that the City Council had fallen down on the job bv not seeing that the service was fully maintained. He asked for an investigation, saying that if the present position continued the oublic would be unable to get even (he Is 9d worth of meat entitled under rationing.