GOVERNMENT BLAMED

Chronicle (Levin), 21 July 1949, Page 5

GOVERNMENT BLAMED

Press AssodatiorJ

Butchers Want Extension OI Decontrolled Prices

(Per

WELLINGTON, July 20. An immecliate extension of the decon- r trolled period, is proposed to tlie Gov-; ernment as the only nieasure that wili ; bring satisfactory relief to the butehery , trade, says an official statement of the New Zealand Mas'ter Butchers ' Federa- : tion issued to&ay. The federation has advised the Government that it is convinced that all measures which might correct the irregularities of the domestie meat market, have been fully negotiated and that a for ward extension of the decontrolled period and the avallability of ' frozen meat supplies, are the only remaining measures which can be adopted to relieve the position. ; The federation eontends that the! Government has failed to support its professed policy of stabilisation of meax; - prices by, firstly, making no provision for the securement of domestie meat requirements while making every endeavour to promote maximum meat experts;- secondly, failing to consider promptly the proposals of the federation to relieve the shortage of fat stoeK in the South Island; th'irdly, the re-" fusal of the Department of Lands to support price structures created by the Grovernment by supplying fat stock from Government farms and lands at schedule rates based on the Government wholesale price order at which butchers ' supplies are theoretically purchased, and on which the retail sellmg price is based. As a result of the f actors set out, the statement continues, .-inost retailers are •unable to buy and seil meat within the limits set by the Government and m several instanees traders have incurred heavy losses- over the past year's traaing, due to their endeavours to sell goods at retail price order prices. The Statement adds that with the unprecedented demand for meat products for export and lack of provision of stock for the domestie market, the retail and wholesale meat trade cannot sell on eontrolled price levels while the purchase price is nneOntrolled and influenced by inereased prices for export meat. *'A eontinuation of the present system of price control merely makes a moekery of the Government 's stabilisation policy, deludes the consumer public and persecutes tllie meat retailer, " tlie statement coneludes. ' 1 The wholesale price schedules have not been supported "by the Government, have been evaded by the wholesalers, and the retailer is apparently expected to pnt into practice the theory that the Government originated but itself refuses to practise.

"The federation has asked the Government to support its price stabilisation policy but so far with negative re-' sults and far from -supporting any attempt to keep consumer prices steaoy, exploits the short markets of livestock and submits its stock for sale wherever the highest price may be obtained. The federation considers the position most unsatisfactory and has requested tne Government to take immediate measures to correct it. "