PRICES OF MEAT OFFALS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27632, 13 April 1955, Page 7

PRICES OF MEAT OFFALS

DUNEDIN WOMEN’S CRITICISM

REPORT ON SUBMISSIONS TO INQUIRY "The Press’* Special Service DUNEDIN, April 12. Concern has been expressed by the Dunedin branch of the National Council of Women at the increase in the price of smallgoods, such as lambs’ livers, kidneys, sweetbreads and hearts, which the branch considers essential to the well-being of babies and small children.

Mrs Frank McLean reported at a branch meeting on investigations made earlier this year. It had been found, she said, that the greatly increased prices were charged mainly by butchers who bought their meat from the freezing works. A butcher killing his own meat could, on a limited scale, sell goods at a reasonable price and still maintain a profit. Freezing works prices per lb quoted by Mrs McLean from lists dated October 4, 1954, and January 31, 1955, were:—Lambs’ livers, Is 7d, 2s 9d; sweetbreads, Is 7d, 2s 8d; hearts, 9d, Is 3d; kidneys, 2s 2d, 2s 9d.

The reason given for these steep increases. Mrs McLean said, was the overseas market. “As soon as overseas prices were released, up went the prices of our smallgoods from the freezing works,” she said. These figures were placed before the committee of inquiry set up by the Government to investigate the prices of meat when the committee was in Dunedin last month. ■'

The deputation sent by the Dunedin National Council of Women was the only one received by the committee throughout its New Zealand inquiry. Mrs McLean said that the main point urged on the committee was that 20 per cent, of offal should be retained m New Zealand at reasonable prices. Excess profits should not be made overseas to the detriment of New Zealand children, it was claimed. The committee, Mrs McLean said, gave a sympathetic hearing to the report and agreed with the facts presented. The members stated that in their findings these prices were prevalent, not only in Dunedin, but throughout the Dominion. It was decided to write to members of Parliament and to the Minister of Social Welfare (Mrs G. H. Ross).