THE PRICE OF FLOUR.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7819, 11 June 1909, Page 4

THE PRICE OF FLOUR.

AN AUCKLAND DODGE.

Per Prees Association,

DUNEDIN, June 10. In reply to a statement contained m an Auckland telegram to the effect that bakers there had never heard of flour being landed m Auckland at £11 0s 6d per ton, and that they had no cognisance of any 2$ per cent discount prevailing, a local miller said: "I have seen tlie Auckland telegram, and those statements are simply absurd." He produced telegrams" and Jetters. ' I quoted Auckland, you see, twenty-five tons of flour landed on Auckland wharf at £10 15s. Now if the Auckland price were £.12 10s, would that not have been accepted? But it wasn't. Here is the reply: ' Another firm quotes £10 10s c.i.f. Auckland. Can you reduce?' I didn't reduce. This £12 10s price is an old game and has been foisted on the Auckland public for twenty years. The Auckland miller keeps the price high (nominally) and allows bakers high rebates, and the bakers charge the public for its bread on the basis of the nominal price, £12 10s. Every miller knows these facts, and it was a foolish thing on the part of the Auckland miller to have published his price m the way he did. A difference of 27s m t}ie price of flour means a penny m | the price of bread." ' I Another miller placed further particulars and figures at a reporter's disposal, and these showed thkt the price of £12 10s was an utter quibble' and beyond reason. He produced from' $n Auckland merchant a lett-er which stated that large quantities of flour had been sold, and the writer offered to do business on the basis of £10 net f.o.b. southern ports. This is below the Association's tariff, by which flour can be landed m Auckland at £10 15s per ton, "You will notice," said the miller m conclusion, "that the Auckland wire evades the- point at iss;;e, which is the- price of flour in~ Auckland, and compares the price of wheat five or six weeks ago, before the reduction took place m millers' prices, with, the present price of flour. The position now is: Can Auckland deny the accuracy of our figures?"