BUTCHER’S SHOP MAY CLOSE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25300, 27 September 1947, Page 8

BUTCHER’S SHOP MAY CLOSE

REFUSAL TO HANDLE FROZEN MEAT PETITION PREPARED Because of failure to comply with the instruction to use 10 per cent, of frozen meat in his weekly quota, a suburban butcher, Mr F. C. Witty, has received advice from the Food Controller’s office that unless he draws the quota, an authority for him to purchase fresh meat will not be issued. To a representative of “The Press’’ yesterday, .Mr Witty said he had handled some frozen meat, but it was not readily saleable to his customers. Now he says he will have nothing more to do with frozen meat. On Tuesday last Mr Witty prepared the following petition, which up to yesterday afternoon had been signed by more than 200 of his customers:— “We, the undersigned customers of the Holmwood Butchery, definitely refuse to buy frozen meat. This meat has been killed for export, and should not be used for local consumption. In view of the crisis overseas, we feel justified in making this decision.” “I expect the authorities will close me up next week,” said Mr Witty, “and if they do I will arrange to have this petition presented in the House of Representatives. Frozen meat is killed for export to Britain, where it is now desperately needed, yet, for some unknown reason, just after the national appeal to save every ounce of food possible, it is decided that New Zealand consumers will have to take a proportion of frozen meat. The Famine Emergency Committee was strangely silent when the announcement was made. “Most butchers do not want to handle frozen meat, yet when they do so, what are they to do with it if the public won’t buy it?” asked Mr Witty. He knew of seven other butchers, all quality butchers, who in future would refuse to handle frozen meat, he continued. As yet he did not think they had received advice stating that authority to purchase fresh meat would be withheld unless they -used their frozen meat quotas.