Wellington Butchers And Supply Problem

Chronicle (Levin), 9 February 1949, Page 5

Wellington Butchers And Supply Problem

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WELLINGTON, Feb. '. 9. All butGhers shops in- Welimgton MU ciose next Monday 'afterhOhfi to jnabl'e retail ma§tef butchefd to i.ttend a meeting to CprtSi'deF the luestion o.f riiedL'siib'plieA - -The presiderit pf the .Wellington Mdsfet Biitchers' . AssoCi^tiQii, Mr.O. Dyef, said tdday that hieiiibefs jf the as'sodiatidh were" ebnCefnesd yef the suggestidn that whole - saiers dpefating in- the Wellington Metropdlifan area would not be able 0 stippTy meat to retailefs after bnis week owing to- the wholesale price order fixing a pi'ice at which wholesalers were unable to.g purJhase stoek. , . • ' Following the . Royal Gommission's report, the ' Government dejided to bring down, through the Price Control Division, a wholesaie price order for 'meat, the retail prices being determined on a mafginal difterence on the priceS fixed in the wholesale price order^ "Un'ess retail butc'hefs are- supplied with? meat at the' wholesale price .order price, their it is impOSsible fOr tnCm to financially Carry on their busiriesses and suppiy meat by retail to the geheral pub-^ ,ic at the retail ptice order prices," Mr. Dyer continued. "A meetings of fehe association on Monday evening decided that the executive shouM meet the wholesalers and diSGUss tne possibility of continuing . the present arrangements and that, failing a satisfactory arrangement, it was proposed by retailers that members should not purchase any meat at a higher price than that fixed in the wholesale price order. "In effect, this means that if the meat is not avaiiable to the "retail butcher at wholesale price order prices, the retaiier Will not purchase and therefore meat Wi-1 not be avaiiable for sale to the general publie." It was also -decided to hold a further meefing on Monday afternoon. when all butchers' shops will close, he said. Mr. Dyer said that last Monday s meeting discussed the question of the su-bstitution of frozen meat. It was made clear, he said, that the Supplies of frozen meat in New Zealand w-ere inadequate to meet the requirements of the eonsumihg publie, and that even if frozen meat were" avaiiable, it would have to be sold at higher prices thari fresh meat. ' 1