THE CREDIT SYSTEM.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 113, 5 February 1908, Page 3

THE CREDIT SYSTEM.

ACTION OF' MASTERTON BUTCHERS. An association has been formed bv the Masterton master butchers to deal with the credit system, which,- although profitable ■with prompt customers, has been found to' be a most'disastrous investment when "longtime" booking-has" resulted'.-in no payment at all. Tho object of the association is stated to bo the'protection of the butchering industry,' the regulation of,;.;'tho.-> price of meat, and the promotion of healthy competition, as - well as' a - friendly,/cordial,; and kindly .feeling amongst the':members. ■ It appears as if the master' butohers;have : been : driven with their 'backs to ? the wall, writes our Wairarapa 1 correspondent, because: tho regulation 'cust'omers' . trade' is about as drastic''as it-caii be. ,No customer is" to' be allowed-;to ': change- his' butcher oil the booking system-unloss has squared his account. ;.Thw : appears': to Wrf mistake, bocause the ono butcher,will liavo the benefit of - the disastrous : patronage, ,or ; ,olse starve the " long-winded' customer, into payment. Another clause says that no customer, shall have moro than a monthfs credit, and that unless he pays aip by ,the 20th .-'of tho" succeeding month ; his . name is to be. placed: on' tho black list. ' This-is,: 110' doubt, a sound business principle, but' difficult to follow in every instance. . No inomber of tile association ,is to'.'be allowed <tohold ; out an-unfair inducement to obtain custom, and tho practice. of 'giving : Christmas-boxes 'is to bo discontinued. No butcher is'to. be allowed to sell under tho retail price' or to infringe nuy rules of the association,. under, a penalty of £10 for tho first offence, and £20 for tho second.- A' well-known Masterton. butcher states that-the association had to be formed simply, because of the rapidity with which tho book debts were being piled up,'against the fact that the butchers themselves had to pay cash- for -their'-meat. ..»