A TRADE DISPUTE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 9275, 22 April 1891, Page 4

A TRADE DISPUTE.

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

Auckland, April 21

A dispute has occurred in the butchering trade between tho Frozen Meat Company Company aud the retailers. Abont eighteen mouths ago the Company had several retail establishments for the sale of meat in different parts of the country. The competition between the Company and the other butchers bcoame so keen that both parties were making very little money, tho result being that the Master Butchers' Association entered into an agreement with the Company to take a certain quantity of meat from the latter in consideration of the Company entirely giving up tho retail trade. The retail shops of the Company were closed, and a bond was signed by ten master butchers agreeing to take so much meat at the market prioe or to forfeit £SOO in case of breach of agreement. Certain of the butchers did break the agree* meat by taking lees than the stipulated quantity of meat from the Company. These batchers claim that the trade has for various reasons so fallen off that it is impossible for them to take the full quantity, but when tho agreement was so broken the £3OO was of course forfeited, and the money has been paid ovsc to the Company. The Butchers’ Association now allegetbattheCompany have entered into the retail trade by supporting a butcher who has been hawking meat and selling at greatly reduced rates. They say it means rain for most of them to have to enter into a cut-throat competition.