MEAT PRICES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 August 1940, Page 9

MEAT PRICES

INCREASE ANNOUNCED. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. In accordance with his previous public announcements the Minister of Supply, Mr Sullivan, said yesterday, it had now become necessary to make a further adjustment in the retail price of meat.

In his earlier announcements, the Minister said, he had pointed out the inadvisability of introducing a complicated method of supervision of auction prices, or the institution of any system which might have the effect of debarring the farmer from being adequately compensated for the extra cost of cattle fattened during the winter for spring sale. In order to protect both • the public and the producer it had been decided that the whole situation would be best dealt with by the regulation of retail prices. The Price Tribunal approved as from July 1 last an increase on the retail price of meat to the extent of Jd a pound. It was realised at the time that a further and final rise was inevitable to cover the more difficult period extending from August till November. Accordingly, a further increase of Id a pound which would operate as from today, August 20, had now been approved. As previously, this was a permissive increase and not an obligatory one. Bacon and other goods commonly known in the trade as “small goods,’’ were again excluded from the scope of the order. Th new price order had this redeeming feature, he added, that while imposing an increase it provided also for a reduction in prices. On the first days of the. month of November, December and January next prices would drop back by Jd a pound with the result that on January 1, 1941, the total increases approved would be wiped out and the prices be back to normal.