FRESH MEAT PRICES

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 April 1940, Page 5

FRESH MEAT PRICES

MINISTER’S ANNOUNCEMENT

[per press association.]

WELLINGTON, April 15

The basis cf regulation by the Price Investigation Tribunal of fresh meat prices for the Winter months was announced this evening by the Minister for Supply (Mr. Sullivan), who said that this would recognise the right of the producer to' receive, through the butcher, the added costs cf production of fat cattle and sheep for late Winter and Spring sale. The retail prices to be charged by the butcher would, of necessity, be related to the figure the butcher would pay the farmer for fat stock. “Early in March I made an an; nouncement as to the Government’s policy .in regard to Winter and Spring supplies of beef,” Mr. Sullivan said. “Following upon that announcement, I arranged for the food controller to call a conference of representatives of the New Zealand Sheep-owners’ Federation, the New Zealand Master Butchers’ Association, and officers from the Department of Agriculture, the price tribunal, and the Internal Marketing Division, to go into ways and means of ensuring adequate supplies of both beef and mutten during tho Winter and Spring months, and* to arrive at an approximate schedule of retail prices. This conference has now concluded its deliberations, and I can advise that definite' arrangements are being made to cover farmers for their extra costs in the production of Winder supplies, and also to assure the general public that retail prices will be under strict, control.

“There will be no interference with the normal method of selling cattle and sheep at auction, or privately, and prices payable by the butcher to producers will be determined by the normal operation of supply and demand at auction. It has always been neces-

sary for fresh meat prices to rise sharply during the Winter months, and while retailers will have ample elasticity fer the period July to November, they will not have a free hand in the arrangement of prices, as all changes will be subject, to the control of the price tribunal. The basis of regulation by the tribunal will, however, definitely recognise the right ;of the producer to receive l through the butcher the 1 added costs of production cf fat cattle and sheep for late Winter and Spring sale. “In addition to the provision for the regulation of retail prices, and to ensure an adequate supply of beef and mutton during the most difficult part of the year—-July to November—the Government will hold certain quantities of exphrt quality meat ready for the local market if required. This plan is on the lines of a similar arrangement which operated during the last war, and should prevent any acute shortage of supplies.”