HOT CROSS BUNS DEARER

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22376, 13 April 1938, Page 21 (Supplement)

HOT CROSS BUNS DEARER

BAKERS COMPLAIN OF HIGH WAGES

SHORTAGE IN SUPPLY FEARED IN AUCKLAND v -

(psbss 'association telbokau.)

AUCKLAND, April 12,

Because the cost of employing additional labour is deemed to be prohibitive, two of the largest bakery firms in Auckland will not manufacture hot cross buns this Easter, and a shortage in the supply is considered probable. Bakers who intend making buns proposed to charge Is 3d a dozen for best quality, compared with Is a dozen in previous years. “Master bakers are very concerned about the high - rates of wages they must pay to. jobbers or casual bakers on the eve of public holidays,” said the secretary of the Auckland Master Bakers’ Association (Mr S. S. Green) Casual bakers employed on the Thursday morning before Good Friday received £1 for the eight hours worked on that occasion, as well as £1 on both Good Friday and Easter Monday when they were not required to work. In addition, there was a penalty payment of 2s an hour for any work done before 4 a.m. on Thursday morning, as well as the overtime rate for any work exceeding eight hours. . The master bakers understood that the Minister for Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) had promised to redress this anomalous position 'in some measure, said Mr Green. When, however, the matter was referred to the Minister recently, he denied making any promise and stated that he did not at present propose making any amendment in the law in the direction desired by the association. Hie association was dissatisfied with the reply, and proposed making strong representations to secure more equitable conditions. For the coming Easter, bakers Intended organising their businesses so that the services of casual bakers would not be required, he added. That would mean, of course, increased overtime for the present staffs and a curtailment in the supply of hot cross buns. Two of the largest firms would not be making any buns at all, and other firms had agreed to raise the price of good quality buns from Is to Is Sd a dozen.