MEAT SUBSIDY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 9 April 1945, Page 3

MEAT SUBSIDY

GOVERNMENT ASSURANCE INTERIM PAYMENT TO BUTCHERS Wellington, Apl. 7. An undertaking had been given by the Government that acceptance retail butchers in the meantime of a subsidy at the rate of 1/3 in the £, coupon value, would not prejudice their claims to a higher rate of subsidy, and if a higher rate were granted payment of it would be made retrospective to November Ist. said Mr W. S. Hughes, president of the N.Z. Master Butchers’ Association, yesterday. In view of that undertaking, butchers would not be prejudiced by signing the forms of authority which had ben distributed to them by the Food Controller. Confirmation of this undertaking would be given to all butchers by a circular from the Food Controller and Mr Hughes therefore recommended the butchers to complete the forms and return them immediately, so that interim payments of the subsidy could be made without further delay. "While these interim payments would ease the financial position of butchers to some extent,” said Mr Hughes, he wished to assure them that the association was continuing to press its claim for the full amount of the difference in buying prices, which had been brought about by the Government’s export schedule. He fully reaiised the difficulty of c arryirig on business even with the interim subsidy of 1/3. All the butchers had been asking for in the present negotiations was an adequate subsidy to compensate them lor the increase in buying pi ires, v himh they were compelled to pay while their retail prices were fixed. Figures which hid been compiled .<-h r '*ed thrf nothing less than a susidy of 2 6 in the £ coupon value, would meet, this situation.