PRICE OF MEAT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9059, 19 February 1908, Page 4

PRICE OF MEAT.

Councillor Yarr, at the meeting of the Borough Council last night, requested permission to hold over his notice of motion—"That this Council take into consideration the desirability of establishing a retail Municipal Butchery." The reason given for this was that a letter had been received from the Mastertort butchers notifying the Council that they proposed revising their charges, and, until the reductions contemplated had been made public, Cr. Yarr thought it advisable not to proceed further with his proposal. The object he had in view in establishing a municipal butchery—namely, the reduction of the price of meat, which at present, he considered, unduly high—had, apparently, he said, been achieved by the notice of motion given. The ('ouncii, of course, agreed to hold the motion over. Councillor Yarr has certainly displayed a good deal cf moral courage for a Councillor in tabling a resolution of this kind, and if his action results in the price of meat being brought down to reasonable limits, he may be congratulated upon having done good service. There is no doubt that the butchers make a mistake, from a business standpoint, in fixing rigid prices for meat. Prices should be governed by the rates ruling for live stock. If stock is high-priced the community will not expect cheap mutton or beef, but when low prices for stock prevail the consumers have a right to expect something less than famine prices. To put up rates in anticipation of a scarcity of stock, and consequent dear market, is not a fair proceeding, nor is it commendable from a business standpoint. If the butchers act reasonably they will have no occasion to fear intervention on the part of the municipality or public.