MEAT PRICES

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 13094, 16 February 1937, Page 5

MEAT PRICES

NOT TO BE FIXED BY GOVERNMENT ASSURANCE BY MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE (Press Association) WELLINGTON, F'cb. 15. After interviewing the Minister ol Agriculture (Mr Lee Martin) to-day Mr P. Landells of Auckland, stated 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 tho Metro Meat Mart, Ltd., and represented tho 'other master butchers of Auckland.

A Press Association telegram sent from Christchurch on February 7

stated that it was understood that the Government had undertaken to fix the price lo be paid to freezing companies by butchers and to fix the retail price, also that proposals were being considered by the Master Butchers’ Associations throughout New Zealand whereby meat from freezing works would no longer bo sold direct to the public or to institutions. The proposals were the result t>f a conference called by direction of the Minister of Agriculture when complaints were made to him of the competition retail butchers were suffering from the freccing companies. It was understood that the companies’ proposals were that. .if they wore no longer to retail meat which, through superficial damage in slaughtering, could not be passed lor export, the butchers should sign an agreement to take from the companies the whole of their output of such moat land it was understood that the Government had undertaken to' fix the prices the companies amt retail ■butchers should receive! for it“l interviewed the Minister regard ing tli4 retail price of meat anti ho lias given me an assurance that it is not the intention of himself or of the Government to fix the retail price of meat to the public.” said Mr -Handels-. H« had explained to the Miu'ster that if the Government fixed the retail selling price of meat, the butchers Sn the 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, town shops having larger turnovers, and do ing a smaller proportion of the delivery’ business than suburban shops. A further fixation of prices would benefit largo chains of shops to the detriment of smaller businesses.