MEAT AT COST PRICE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2010, 18 March 1914, Page 8

MEAT AT COST PRICE.

WATERSIDE UNIONISTS' SCHEME. (By Telezraph.—PreM Association.) : ' Auckland, Marcli 17. Tho Auckland Waterside Workers' Union has in hand a scheme for supplying its own members and those attached to Arbitration uniouc throughout the city with meat at cost price. On Saturday a special meeting of tho union will be held for the purpose of considering a large scheme to be placed on a proper basis. This is .the first attempt made by a New Zealand trade union Jto adopt the cooperative- purchase principle. Just now tho idea, is being tried on a small scale; and the members of the union ilro purchasing meat' direct from the freezing chambers. The result is that they are obtaining lamb at 4d. per lb., and mutton at 3Jd. per lb., practically one-half of tho current prices. Last Saturday 17251b. wore distributed in this way to members, and tho previous week even more was sold. Tho method of procedure is for members to buy the earensses direct, and for the "union to supply the men to cut them up for division among tho purchasers. A mere flash in the pan was the description applied to the enterprise by a local butcher. If union members attempted to establish a depot they would soon find that they could sell no cheaper than the Auckland butchers, and would havo to conform to the bylaws and regulations for the sale of meat. Ho did not think that the sanitary authorities would for long, tolerato the conditions under which carcasses were being cut up, and tho Auckland, butchers need not be troubled about tho scheme yet.