MEAT FAMINE THREATENED IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Chronicle (Levin), 11 March 1948, Page 6

MEAT FAMINE THREATENED IN CHRISTCHURCH.

t CIlRiyTCHCKCII, Marau 10. By the end of this week it seems certain that the majorily of butelu rs 111 Christehurch will be without meat. Bor Ihe second successive Wednesdav the butchers did not operate 011 tlie Adding ton market and killings at the niumcipal abattoirs have fallen away to next to nothing. By this afternoon it was eslimated that between a quarter and a third of the city's 150 butchers' • sliops were without meat and by Fri-

day onl.v a- few shbps will be 'iradiltg. : The president of tlie ' hlaster .-Butchers ' Association (Mr. E. R. Blancliard) said that tlie trade was optimistic that its Iroubles wopld soon be over, but he did not indicate in what way the problerfj would be solved. It appears tliat by tlie end of the week only oue lirnr which operates a chain of citv and suluirban sliops witl 1 be in a position to-supply its customers. This lirm lias glways bought "011 the lioof" and thus is not dependant on Addington for its supplies. Butchers are not closing down but ' when their fresh meat stbhks are exliausted' all they will v liave: to sell will be coJd meats such as luncheou .saus'age which are maTiufaclured by wholesale lirms. The shoyis that have nlready exhausted their supplies are mainly small suburban concerns wkere tliere is little ox no storage capacity.