BAKERS' CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 30, 5 February 1925, Page 9

BAKERS' CONFERENCE.

THE FLOUR SHORTAGE. IMPORTATION URGED. "LICE BRANCH TO .MILLS. (By TeinKraph. —Press Association.! fNVin.C.U.'GII.I., Wednesday, i lie twenty-lift Ii annua! conference ..I .he New Zealand Bakers- and Paslrvkii ' Association opened lu-clay, delegates being present from all parts of the Dominion. The president. M-". P. Hoon, of t hristchurrli, occupied tbe chair. After a .iiic reception the president icac| an address in which lie revived the activity of the association during the past r|iiarti-r of a century. "We do not. ever expect to reach the day when we shall speak of competition in prices as being a thine, of the past." he continued, '■hut. cut-throat, competition which was prevalent many years ago has. we hope, gone, and gone tor cier. The liaker of to-day is%ppking i" build up his business by- fair and honourable means. Cut-throat competition must always result in a tendency for 1 lip quality of the bread to deteriorate." It was decided that the following t 0 |p. pram be forwarder] to Hip Minisfpr of Industries and Commerce, and the Minis fcr of Agriculture:—"That bakers in annual conferpnee assembled, having:, after a careful aud thoroujrli investigation, satisfied Ihemsplvps Unit, there is beyond question a .scri,,ns shortage of both wheat and flour, and as a rpsult a threatened bread famine, would like fo know definitely what steps the Government lias taken, or intend taking, relative thereto. KcopnisinK that a reasonable time must, be allowed for new season's flour to mature and with a view to meeting the emergency, the conference respect fnl| v suggests' that, the fiovenimonr. give immediate consideration to temporarily removing the duly aud permitting under t'lovcrnment siipp-rvision. the import ataion of n limited quantity of flour." The report, after dealing wilh various provincial matters, says: '-The aotion brought by the Crown against Distributors, Ltd.. and four of t lip largest millprs trading in flip Dominion, is undoubtedly onp of supreme importance to the baking trade. The case was probably unique, in that no Ipss than three King's Counsel wptp engaged, and in the decision of his Honor Mr. Justice Sim. which may have far reaching effects. The executive, whilst keenly alive to the disabilities under which bakers, particularly in Southland and Otago. laboured, nevertheless is of opinion that stabilisation in the prices of flour would lie a big factor in helping to maintain the price of bread. The executive takes this opportunity of expressing the hopp that, the decision of the court nowhaving been given, much of the past, will be forgotten, and that millers will increasingly reab'se that bakers arp their best customers, and that although flour is being distributed under dTffprent conditions from what it was in former years, the same care should be. cxce.rrjsfd l.y individual millers in seeking fo supply flour, the quality of which is satisfactory, and that steps will be. taken to as far as possible meet tbe requirements of the trade relative to the supplying of those brands of flour which individual bakers and pastrycooks may desire."