CORNERING THE LOAF.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 63, 15 March 1915, Page 6

CORNERING THE LOAF.

THREATS OF RREAD TRUSTS. ANTIDOTE IN STATE BAKERIES. SYDNEY, March 14. At a meeting of the Master liakeri" Association yesterday, Mr D. R. Hall, Attorney-General for New South Wales, outlined a scheme for nationalising the bread industry. He challenged the bakers to contradict the statement that by spending half-a-million the Government could deliver bread to private houses at Id per loaf cheaper than the bakers. Mr Hall proposes to economise by buying flour in large quantities, eliminating the cost of running hundreds of bakehouses, and spending no money in advertising or carters' bonuses. By sending one cart to a street instead of twenty it is estimated that there would be a saving of £150,000 per annum in delivery charges alone. Bad debts could be avoided by the State selling books of coupons exchangeable for loaves of bread. A reduction of Id per loaf would save the people £25,000 a week, and leave a large profit. Mr Hall proposes that the Government should acquire from 35 to 40 bakeries, compensate the owners, and appoint an expert board to consider offers. Mr Hall remarked that already companies were being formed throughout Xew Zealand, and that in the ordinary course of industrial evolution, without Government intervention, within 10 years | bread monopolies would be established in 'all large centres, and would be as profitable as the Colonial Sugar Company. The New South Wales Government, in the public interests, proposes to forestall such trusts.