No-one really knows

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32541, 26 February 1971, Page 12

No-one really knows

A leading figure in the meat trade in Britain, Mr W. M. Pooley, who is managing director of Towers and Company, said in Christchurch this week that theoretically the price of meat should go up in Britain when the British Government imposes a levy on meat imports—but no-one knew what would really happen. The whole object of the British Government was to see that the farmer received his return from the housewife, Mr Pooley said, rather than so much from the taxpayer by way of subsidy. The idea, therefore, was to get meat prices higher —and if this succeeded, the British housewife would pay.

) But u the price of meat r was controlled by supply > and demand, If the price f went too high and demand 1 was blunted then the New t Zealand producer would ; not receive such a high i price—and he would pay. t Wages and salaries had Increased enormously in i Britain In the last year. Inflation was one of the problems, as well as In New Zealand. There was more money in the housewife’s purse so that—at least theoretically she should have more money; to spend on meat. As an Importer, his organisation would be paying the levy, and it would be its job to try to recover it, Mr Pooley said.