"REJECT MUTTON"

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 48, 26 February 1937, Page 10

"REJECT MUTTON"

FARMERS COMPLAIN

WANT; HIGHER. PRICES

Negotiations between the Government, the freezing companies, and the master butchers,on the sale of reject export mutton by the companies are being.watched closely by the North Canterbury. Farmers' Union. What the farmers demand. is higher prices for such meat now, it was said, being sold over the counter for local consumption at cheap rates.

The executive was informed by Mr. L.. Coop that a great deal of mutton was being sold to the public by the freezing companies. The companies were undercutting the butchers' trade. There was a danger that the freezing companies: would be selling air the meat. . From the farmers' point of view it would be better to have the competition of the:butcher than to have the freezing companies selling all the meat. TUTTING THE WOOD ON THEM."

Mr. F. H.: Sheat told the executive that • master butchers in Christchurch had asked the Government to do something. The freezing companies did.not wishanything to be done, but he understood that the Minister had stated that.if an agreement was not reached he. would have "to put the wood on them."

Butchers wanted the monopoly of selling the meat. It was suggested that the,prices at which it was sold by the companies were too low. The butchers thought that the meat was too cheap, and their opposition would probably be less if the freezing companies put the prices up. Another • member said that the suggestion was that the butchers should take over the mutton and lamb concerned. It was also suggested that ■the master butchers wanted the meat to go into by-products. The freezing '■ companies bought ewe : mutton .in the summer and sold it-in the winter,, coming into competition with-the butchers when prices were high, said Mr. W. L. Wright. A large number of people in town got their, meat from the freezing companies. . .

Head injuries, concussion, and shock were suffered by a linesman, S. J. Stfnden, of 68 Clyde Street, Island Bay, when he fell off a pole in Happy Valley Road shortly after 9 o'clock this morning. The Free Ambulance look him to hospital.