PRICE OF MEAT

Grey River Argus, 21 March 1945, Page 5

PRICE OF MEAT

BUTCHERS ASK FOR INCREASE NEW PLYMOUTH, March 20. ' The conference of the New Zealand Master Butchers Association at New Plymouth to-day decided to approach the Price Tribunal with a view to obtaining an increase in the retail prices of meat. The last price fixation was made in 1940. Mr. S. F. Mayer (Wellington) said: “Extra costs have accrued since 1940, and have had to be carried by butchers. We are reaching saturation point in regard to these costs, and something must be done. Mr. J. E. Bartlett (Dunedin) said the recent pronouncement by the Arbitration" Court would result in another substantial rise in costs. Fgures were quoted by Mr. G. Lamb (Wellington) to show that general costs in wages and other overhead charges had increased by nearly 25 per cent, since 1940. A request is to be made to the Department of .Agriculture to make a forward survey of the livestock position in recently flooded areas in the South Island with the object of preventing exploitation of the position created by loss of stock. It was decided that, if the Farmers’ Federation desired to examine the grading of meat, the Master Butchers’. Association Executive would appoint a committee a confer with the Federation with the object of endeavouring to obtain a greater quantity of suitable meat for export to Great Britain. A strong claim for a larger subsidy for butchers was made by the President, Mr Hughes, who said: “We should show by a united front to the Government that there is a limit to the payments which retailers can absorb by way of increased costs. It is surprising that the Government should take such an arbitary attitude against the retailers when most sections of the including Parliamentarians, have had their incomes increased. • Officers elected were: President, W. S. Hughes (Christchurch); vice-presi-dents, J. W. Perry (Auckland), W. Vaughan (Masterton); executive, A. B. Anderson (Christchurch), J. E. Bartlett (Dunedin), J'. F. Carter (Palmerston North), G. Dick (Greymouth), G. B. Stanford (Napier), L. Jackson (Gisborne), G. Lamb (Wellington), J. A. McDonald (Timaru), T, McKelvie (Mataura), J. Meikle (Oamaru), J. Metcalfe (Invercargill), H M Richardson (Nelson), A. W. Scoffing (Auckland), A. Simpson (Blenheim), R. Timewell (Whanghrei) W. Timmins (Hamilton), G. Tremlett (New Plymouth), A. L. Wright (Wanganui); emergency officers, S'. F. Mayer, R. E. Munday (Wellington); trustees, S. F. Mayer, W J. Mountjoy; auditor, A. Evans. The next conference will be at Auck4 ’ political correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” stated Mr. Llewellyn and Mr. Lyttelton have been invited to Washington to discuss the food situation.