THE PRICE OF MEAT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 919, 12 September 1910, Page 8

THE PRICE OF MEAT.

,•;. ::- A; DEADLOCK.) ';,.;•■ \yc; i - A promiient .butcher, -interviewed,on ,Saturday,'endorsed.the statement as to •the discontent: in -.the.;trade' J published in; The. Dominion, I and! supplemented, it by .some: further facts.;; ; The\present .condition,"..he.: stated,, .'was-. ; directly-: attributable, to keen competition .-.whichcommenced,, among .butchers about a year ago,'and ■ induced a reckless cutting of prices. -At.the time,;:butchers could' afford 'todo" this, as stock was remarkably, 'cheap, .but!now,.:with, retail prices ciit; andyt.he.price of;':stock :high and rising,_ - ..'they-:- /find; i .themselves . in: '■■-.■ an .unenviable position.- The trouble was in the first place produced. :by. a lack-..0f efficient combination among; ' buteliers,' which- resulted;in":) disastrous "competition.-: ,', Even now the; '.'members--;'of • the :trade'.seem .unable! to agree upon!any: united, course - ' of.. action, - with. ;a '■ view to' bettering the 'position.. The ,'butchor quo ted,' above ■ expressed !. the; ;; opinion : .tha)t although ■> the entire : trade! was operating Vtt'-- a; loss, it' would) be found impossible; to'/brihg!! itsi.nierhbers J)as/a whole'viritb;lino to:move for'a'rise, in .retail''prices)).,; Events,')he' said,'!-must take.;:their, .course.) Relief:)would : )come :only! ; )when) ai number/of butchers had' b.eeii :driyen; out of '■ the■ trade • by. sheer: ■inability: to ,obtain payable.)returns');. "It will- be) the■ survival).of)the.; and: it's/now:)a;;<jdestioii;of; : who)cah) bold but, longest)"; '.w.erb (the,w)ords : in which he'.MmmarisedJthe .position;) .Questioned further,/he laid'/the,'whole'responsibility ;bn. a/limited'number.of/butcher's' determined/-' at/any V.cost their,/: reputation) -as ):::pr'oprietbri!'. "of. "cheap" .' shops;-') These 'declined vab'so-' lutely to subscribe to a}cominbn' tariff, and/the--Butchers'/Association,- under 'the circumstances, ,was practically ■.powerless.;; So ; .long: as.-. eyen ; !.ohe: 0r... two butohors held' to .the * ruling) retail /prices it.was impossible)fbr/the^remainder.'to change, /as/by, doing) simply lose /their trade';.: The 'position "might; :ih.;fact, be! described ;ar)a :hope-? less '•■ deadlock;/. This; being /the: position/ ;as stated;, by) i/ man'; qualified;',tb:/guage: its.'merits,'! it-.'does', not,: seem..prpbable';that:;ahy :very. .valu-; able; result!; wiUVaccrue! )from Vtte/confer'ence)'of; mastor/b'utchers 'Jx>~ be ■ held; )bhis-'.eyeniiig-l'';., ':;■'.'■,•-,'■'■)'"• .;-V-'/-:j) ■"- J-"""?: 1 '"." - -:)^-"':'/ 7 -."-'"-/'-,