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It would therefore appear to be necessary for such, supplies of frozen meat as would t>e required to be set aside in the grades and qualities required and at the f.o.b. price, plus freezing and storage charges. I am in agreement with the statement made in the majority report regarding the evidence submitted to the Commission which showed a very definite general prejudice -against the use of frozen meat, also with the statement on the impracticability of using meat chilled for export on the local market due to the lack of suitable facilities for chilling the small quantities of meat which would be required at any one time. I also agree that where it is possible to hold meat in cold store for a short period at .abattoirs or freezing-works such practice could be of material advantage in providing against short-term fluctuations of supplies of butchers' meat, but it was noted that cool rooms are not established at the majority of abattoirs, thereby not permitting the retail butchers to take advantage of such a practice. 3. Whether it is practicable to provide for butchers to purchase meat for local consumption by means of a schedule similar to that adopted for the export trade; and, if so, what margin (if any) should be paid over and above the export schedule price ? I find myself unable to agree with the greater part of this section, and so submit the following report, which enumerates and includes such portions of the majority report as I am in partial or complete agreement with : This question of the practicability or otherwise of providing for the obtainment of .supplies for the local meat trade by means of a buying schedule similar to that adopted for the purchase of meat for export has been the subject of much discussion, and submissions have come forward for and against the proposal. It is apparent that the word similar " in the sense of " same as " has influenced the considerations of the producer witnesses as reference has been made to purchase of aged stock at the same price as young stock of the same class. On the other hand, the New Zealand Master Butchers' Federation apparently •envisaged a schedule based on, and providing for, payment on weight and grade in line with the requirements of the trade and the provisions of the price order. This organisation, in its reply in favour of a schedule, advanced a proposal which showed preference for a co-operative movement between producer and retailer to arrive at a schedule, but -it was made clear that such a proposal was not acceptable to the other parties. The latter submissions made by the New Zealand Master Butchers' Federation which requested that a domestic buying schedule be introduced by regulation must be considered reasonable when viewed in the light of present-day trading conditions in the retail meat trade —namely, the necessity for purchase on an uncontrolled market and selling at a fixed retail price, as it is surely reasonable to ask that if the Government policy of stabilization is to continue then partial control of any commodity which creates an injustice upon any section of the community, should be extended and all parties brought within the scope of such regulations or that control entirely removed. It is clearly apparent that the master butchers are in the main concerned only with .the purchase-price of their stock, and consider it immaterial whether the schedule is voluntary or by regulation, as long as it is effective. In my opinion, a voluntary schedule is preferable, as evidence shows that the master butchers have not the organizations established with which to handle stock under schedule by regulation conditions, and such schedule by regulation would therefore place all live-stock supplies in the freezing companies—a monopolistic trend which is .strongly objected to by the stock and station agents, the producer organizations, and the master butchers.

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