HIGHER SUBSIDY

Grey River Argus, 8 September 1945, Page 3

HIGHER SUBSIDY

Wanted for Butchers

WELLINGTON, September 7. In the House, Mr A. S. Sutherland (Nat., Hauraki), asked the Minister of Supply to consider immediately raising the subsidy payable to butchers on all meat sold, on account of the high price being paid for fat stock at the present time. Mr Sutherland said that it was impossible at present for butchers to purchase without showing a big loss. The Minister’s recent suggestion that the butchers could obtain meat from freezing chambers for sale to the public was unsatisfactory in the Auckland province on account of the humidity of the weather. All the butchers’ shops in Waikato were being closed on Monday to. allow the butchers to consider their future position. _ Mr Sullivan, replying, said that, as he had previously indicated, the high prices being paid by butchers were due to the competitive auction system which the butchers generally were unwilling to abandon. Regarding the statement that frozen meat was unsatisfactory for use m the Auckland province owing to the humidity, he pointed out that tne Armed Forces in the Pacific satisfactorily use large quantities of frozen meat under more humid conditions and it, therefore, was considered tnai. arrangements made to release Dozen meat would meet the position arising from anv temporary sho: lage or rat stock. The Government, itrnrexore. did not contemplate raising the retail subsidy payab e to bu.cheis on account/)! the high prices being paid for fat stock at present. , Mr Polson: Does the Minis .or realise that the effect will be that farmers will not fatten stock for winter kl The g Minister replied that the question was, admittedly, a difficult one, but a solution had been found in tne past and, no doubt, would be xound again on this occasion. of’ it might have to be looked at again, and no hasty decision would be made.