THE CHEAP MEAT SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 91, 10 January 1918, Page 6

THE CHEAP MEAT SCHEME

STATEMENT BY MR. MASSEY

FRESH OR FROZEN?

GOVERNMENT'S PLAN EXPLAINED

A statement was made by the Primd Minister (Mr. Massey) yesterday to remove certain misapprehensions which seom to exist regarding the Government's scheme for the distribution of meat to tho local retail butchers from tho stocks of meat purchased for oxport to the order of the Imperial Board: , of Trade. Mr. Massey's statement was as follows:—

"Tho Government has lately comploted an agreement with all freezing* companies under which retail butchers in the Dominion can obtain supplies of meat at Imperial purchase prices for the purposes , of their retail trade. This agreement expressly provides that) meat so supplied may be either freshly killed or frozen, and is already operating in some centres, where butchers are receiving freshly-killed meat from the companies. Other butchers can do thesamo after obtaining the necessary per--mit so long as the class of meat required is available in the premises of the freezing company from which it is desired to draw supplies.

. "At the samo time.it must bo point* cd out that the prejudice expressed) against frozen meat is altogether unreasonable. The same 'frozen meat' is looked upon in Great Britain as being up to the highest standard of quality of any imported meat and is meeting with great appreciation from consumers there.

"It is a fact that frozen meat properly defrosted and properly handled forms a first-class food article. I am quite certain that much of it lias been consumed in New Zealand without the consumers having any idea that the meat had been frozen.

"Aβ regards it has been expressly provided that in the case of frozen meat utilised for the retail trade of the Dominion, tho meat which went last into store will be taken, thus ensuring a minimum charge for storage, aud as it has to be stored for a month free of any storage charges, it will be realised that this is not an item of moment.

"The only other charges on the meafc will be the abattoir fees payable on meat released in districts where a. public abattoir exists, as provided in the Slaughtering and Inspection Act. These fees vary in different abattoir districts, but are very small, amounting, approximately, from l-17th to 1-oth of a, penny per lb. on mutton; from l-10th to l-3rd of a penny on lamb; and from l-35th to l-12th of a penny on beef, according to locality and to tho individual weights of carcasses. "Any retail butcher desirous of obtaining either freshly killed or frozen meat from freezing companies should communicate with the Board of Trade, or with Dr. C. J. Reakes (Director of the Live Stock Division of the Department of Agriculture), who in this matter is acting in conjunction with the board, and who is empowered to issue the necessary permit to butchers desirous of availing themselves of the schemo.

Conditions Defined. "In order to.prevent confusion, and to avoid disputes as far as possible, it has been considered necessary to define the conditions under which retail butchers can obtain supplies, and these conditions have been drawn out as follow:— ' i 1. The term of payment to be cash on delivery, meat, whether fresh or frozen, to "be paid for on the basis of the weight delivered. 2. Delivery , to bo taken at the works where the operations of slaughtering, and of freezing meat, were carried out. 3. It will not bo obligatory on any Meat Export Company to supply any quantity or description of meat, unless such meat is available in its premises. 4. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 3, the meat may be purchased iu either the fresh or frozen state, as. desired by the purchaser. 5. Iu the event of frozen meat being purchased, such meat is to be regarded as meat which last entered the company's freezing store, and any storage charges which have accrued thereon will be paid by the purchaser. Such storage charges to be computed on the basis of ono month's free storage and 3-32nds of a penny per pound per month afterwards.

6. Any abattoir charges payablo under Section 27 of the Slaughtering and Inspection Act, 1908, are to be paid to il.e Meat Export Company by the- purchaser. The Heat Export Company is responsible for the payment of such fees to the controlling authority of the abattoir.

7. The purchaser must give the Meafi Export Company at least 24 hours'notice of tho quantities and descriptions of meat required.

8. Meat purchased under this per-, mit must be paid for in accordance with the quality and description thereof as approved by the principal Governmont Inspector at the Meat , Export Company's works, save that either the ■company or the purchaser may refer any dispute as to quality or description to tho Director of the Live Stock Division of tho Department of Agriculture, whose decision shall bo final. \ 9. No meat may be purchased under. this permit except for the purposes of retail sale by the purchaser in tlia ordinary course of his retail business.

Schedule of Prices. Per lb. d< Wethers', first quality, 721b. and under °iWethers, first quality, over v2lb. and up to 851b si' Wethers, first quality, over Solb. and up to 9Slb. (subject to special approval by tho Inspector) 4$ Wethers, second quality 5i Ewes, first quality, 721b. and under 4|Ewes, first quality, over 721b. and up to 851b •»£ Ewes, second quality V% Lamb, specially prime and Cantorbury 4211). and under 6{! Lamb, first quality, 421b. and under u'J Lamb, first quality, over 421b GJ Lamb, second quality 61! Beef, priino ox 5 Beef, second and hcifor 4f. Beef, boning in quarters 41' Beef, cow, prime 4| Beef, cow, second 4J "Tho permit is subject to cancellation at any time in tho event of the Director of the Live Stock Division being, satisfied that tho holder is not properly fulfilling the conditions stated above."