PRICE OF MEAT REDUCED.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14235, 1 March 1917, Page 6

PRICE OF MEAT REDUCED.

BY J.d to 3d PER POUND

It is pleasing to be able to aiuiounce that as from Monday next the public of Gisborno will be able to buy meat at v considerably reduced price. This is the outcome of the visit of the Board of Trade, who aro to be congratulated upon th\« success ot their negotiations. The reduction, which applies to all classes of meat, ranges irom Id .to 3d per lb.

This arrangement has been effected by the Board, following the Securing ot the meat from the local freezing companies at Imperial prices. A conference of the whole of the butchers and representative.; of the freezing companies was held this afternoon to enter into working arrangements and to fix up an agreement as to maximum prices to he charged by the butchers.

In conveying .the result of the negotiations to a Herald reporter, Mr Collins, secretary of the Board, said they wished it to be made nertecliy clear that the prices lef erred to cash over the counter only; that Mas the basis of the agreement. It was probable, he announced, that the arrangement would last during the whole period of the war. Consumers were assured of getting the primest of meat at a reduced price. Prior to the conference commencing .this afternoon, tho acting chairman, Mr McDonald, thanked his Worship the Mayor (.Mr •Sherratt) for the assistance rendered ,the Board. He stated the Board owed a debt of gratitude to Mr Sherratt for the interest he had taken m the matter, and the time he had given to it. Mr McDonald also thanked ihe master butchers for the manner m which they had met the Board and ,the freezing companies for the ready way they had adopted the Government's proposals.

The Mayor thanked Mr McDonald for his remarks, and sa.d he had merely studied the inwrejLs of tho ratepayers and not that . of the butchers. He thought the butchers had mot the Board and tho oommuiuvy very fairly, and he hoped there would bo no need for the commission to again visit Gisborne m regard to tho price of meat. Mr J. Machell, on behalf of the butchers, thanked the Board tor ,the impartial manner m which it had dealt with the trade, and ,he said it was due to the fair spirit displayed by the Board that an arrangement had been arrived at.

It was pointed out that m. the reductions the Board bad endeavored to give preference to those cuts which were favored by tho poorer section of the community. The reductions applied to beef, mutton and lamb, pork and veal, which were not largely used, not being subject to the negotiations. The prices of sundries hod also been re-cast. As mentioned above the new arrangements, come into operation on Monday next.

As the outcome of these arrangements it is understood the abattoirs will ba closed down, which will mean a loss to the Borough Council of about £260 a year.