Association Criticised On Stock Show Decision

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31343, 13 April 1967, Page 3

Association Criticised On Stock Show Decision

The Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s decision not to hold a fat stock show this year was criticised

1 at a meeting of the associa--1 Hon’s committee yesterday. ■ The association, he said, i was being intimidated “by a i bunch of striking butchers.” i _Mr Craw said be had never 1 thougM tire day would arrive : when the association would be directed by any outride orl ganisation on purely domestic . matters. t “I. have heard rumours that . this winter stock show does i not pay its way,” he said. “If that is the reason behind all this camouflage, why does your committee not come out in the open and say if you * really wish to cancel the * show, instead of hiding behind 1 the subterfuge of striking ■ butchers.”

Mr Craw said that if the committee thought it could cancel the show this year and cany on again next year, it

was, in his opinion, making a big mistake. “The butchers* committee which, is responsible for the blockade of tire show has not got any genuine grounds or logic to bolster up its arguments,” he said. "When a butcher buys a beast he gets a duplicate of the prizewinning card and Ms name in the paper as the purchaser as a rule. What more does he want?” Mr Craw also criticised the butchers for complaining about high prices for show stock. “The stock is offered to the highest bidder, mostly the butcher, and If the purchase price is above the standard price he is solely to blame. Surely he does not want to hoodwink the public into believing that bidding is compulsory like joining Ms union.” Members agreed that Mr Craw’s remarks contained much truth, but took no steps to alter the committee’s decision.