THE PRICE OF TEA AND SUGAR.

Auckland Star, Volume x, Issue 2781, 2 April 1879, Page 2

THE PRICE OF TEA AND SUGAR.

(To the Editor of the STAIt.)

Silt, —I trust, in justice to the grocers generally, you will allow me space in your impel1 to give an unqualified contradiction to a paragraph which appeared in your last evening's issue ; the writer of which should have know he was penning a deliberate untruth. The public of Auckland know very well that, from the just remission of duties upon tea and sugar (now three month ago), they have had the full benefit of such reduction iv all the larger places of business, and I very much doubt, if you can find any simple enough to continue to pay the ori^inii! prices, even to small dealers. I will undertake to say that neither you. sir, or any of your stall', have paid the original prices for tea and sugar during the present year, or are a much easily gulled collection of the fourth estate than i take you to be. -■I am, &c, ONK OV TUB TIIADE.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Your remarks of last night are to ghringly opposed to the numerous advertisements of respectable grocers in your own columns since the Ist Janunry last that an impartial reader stands ajjliout at such mendacious statements as tiiore are made. When the fact of tho case stands simply thu-j : When the new budget was announced—this was the shape ot it—all that we add we propose to add now I all we propose to take oil'we will t:ilce oil'six mouths hence. Yes, breathe it softly—or in plain words, on the Ist January, 1870; and as everyone kuows the grocers were simply worried for months' wiiu, isn't tho duty come oil" V and all that could be said \va.«, it would do on the Ist January. Now, sir, us a matter of fact, the 2d was taken off on the l^t by the retail grocers, ami in tome e;ises before ; but more, whereas there was no tea lit for ordinary consumption advertised under 2s. Your own paper has and bun had repeated advertismeutsfroiu respectable grocuis of good sound teasatlsßd,aud which c in be shown t<> have arisen purely through keen competition, so that not only have the consumers got all the (iovernment gave, but in many cases more, and whoeverpcunud that statement wrote n slander against your own customers and many more.--Yours, etc., RXETAIi Gltoc-.lt. —IMS. —I omitted to remark respecting sugar, the numerous advertisements in yonr own paper shows it shcli a palpable falsehood. I need say no more.

(To the Editor of the Stau.)

Snt,—We are sure your remarks in yesterday's issue must have been penned without proper inquiry, as we can safely assert that the full reductions on both teas and sugars have been allowed by the wholesale houses from tho commencement of the year. Your statement that "'the reduction in duty has gone into the pockets of the merchants, or wholesale grocers," is n deliberate untruth. —Yours &c, WIIOLI&AMC

(To tho Editor.)

Sir, —With surprise I rend in your columns last night that the "free breakfast table," is as far oil" as ever. Only on tho supposition that some new arrival wrote that article, and that in the hurry of business it escaped your editorial supervision, could 1 understand it. Tne fact is the profits have not gone into the pockets of either tho merchant, wholesale, or retail grocer, had tho writer anything to do with providing a breakfast fora famiiy be would Know that the consumer does not stand in the position described in military parlance "as you were." The facts are tkat some grocers anticipated the reductions nnd gave their customer the benefit before they themselves enjoyed it. A reference to your advertising columns during the past throe months would prove that I, iv common with oilier grocer*, have repeatedly announced tho reduction. What is the reduction ? jil per lb. on sugar, and 2d per Hi. tea; yet some mislead the public as though much larger reduction of duties had been made. 11l justice to those who frequently use your advertising columns a.-i well as to those iv the trade, who, also, always give the fullest advantage of every remission of duties, the "amende honorable" should bo made, —I am, &c, It. French, Hobson-street, lioyal Tea Mart. [Our correspondent i» unite right. The paragraph referred to did escape tho customary revision. Its absurdity must have been Apparent to Almost everyone who has used tea or sugar, or, at least, has paid for it. The paragraph should have been headed " advertisement" and put iv our advertising columns, —Ed. E.S.]