RETAIL MEAT PRICES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 121, 16 February 1937, Page 11

RETAIL MEAT PRICES

Shops Oppose Proposed

Fixation

MINISTER’S ASSURANCE After interviewing the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. W. Lee Martin, yesterday, Mr. P. Landells, Auckland, informed “The Dominion” that he had received an assurance that it was not the intention of the Government to fix the retail price of meat in New Zealand. Mr. Landells is managing director of Metro Meat Mart, Ltd., and represented other master butchers of Auckland also. A Press Association telegram sent from Christchurch on February 7, stated that it was understood that the Government had undertaken to fix tne price paid to freezing companies by butchers and fix the retail price also. Proposals were being considered by master butchers’ associations throughout New Zealand whereby meat from freezing works would no longer be sold direct to the public or to institutions. The proposals were the result of a conference called by direction of the Minister of Agriculture when complaints were made to him of the competition retail butchers were suffering from freezing works. The proposals being considered by the butchers had been submitted by the companies, stated the telegram, and it was understood that the proposals were that if companies were no longer to retail meat which through superficial damage in slaughtering could not be passed for export the butchers should sign an agreement to take from the companies the whole of their output of such meat. It was understood that the Government had undertaken to fix the prices the companies and retail butchers should receive for it. “I interviewed the Minister regarding the retail price of meat and he has given me an assurance that it is not the intention of himself or of the Government to fix the retail price to the public,” said Mr. Landells. He had explained to Mr. Martin that if the Government fixed the retail selling price of meat butchers in cities, who sold cheaper than those in the suburbs, would go out of business. The type of business conducted by town butchers was quite different from that conducted by suburban butchers, the town shops having larger turnovers and doing a smaller proportion of delivery business than suburban shops. Further, the fixation of prices would benefit large chains of shops to the detriment of smaller businesses. Mr. A. S. Richards, M.P., was present with Mr. Landells at the interview.