Abolition Of Price Control Of Meat

Chronicle (Levin), 10 June 1948, Page 9

Abolition Of Price Control Of Meat

CHR1BTCH L* KC11, June 9. "This to us seems to he the niissing link in the clmin of stahilisation, ' ' said Mr. W. S. llughes vvhen, in open ing the suhmissions for the Caiiterbury Master Butehers" Assoeiatiou before the eoiniuission inquiring into fresh meat supplies, he was asked whv it was that the relail price of meat was tixed and yet the huyiug price was not. The abolition of price control was one remedy, iie suggesled. Mr. llughes said the injustiee of sueh a set-up had been ventilated hy various Magistrates 011 the oceasions of proseeutions of butehers, and the late Mr. E. C. Levvev, S.M., had said that it was incredihle that uny Jribuiuil, should make sueh a basic order which put binding claims 011 a butcher. Mr. llughes suggested that there | were nnly two remedies: ( .1 > That the | huying ]>riee must he lixed iu Hue wit'h the retail price to give a fair niargin; (2) that price control must go. On hehalf of stock and station agents, Mr. G. 1). Wise suhmitted that a schedule liasis of buying was neither practieahle nor desirahle. It would not assure the continuity of suppl.v possible under the auction system nor would it assure the producer of the hest price the buver was prepared to give. Further, if farmers did not receive eompensatory prices during diliieult seasons, obtain.ihle ""tfTrder the auction system, the rosult would he an overall diminution *111 production.^ "It is ou r considered o]nnion that a great many- of the butehers ' troubles would disappear if grading were abolished," said Mr. Wise, "or if this is not possible, a general relaxation in grading were ])ermitted. " The effect of grading, he said. was to make the puhlic red stripe conscious with the roBult that butehers had to buy greater quantities of wethers and neglect | ewes. | Tn reply to a qnesfion, ATr. "Wise said he considered the auction system, with ceiling prices, inqiractieablo. Fvidence given 011 hehalf of Ihe Phrisfcliurch muTiicipal abattoirs, supporlod Ihe abolilion of grading.