NO BREAD FOR RURAL AREAS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27500, 6 November 1954, Page 2

NO BREAD FOR RURAL AREAS

DECISION OF BAKERS IN INVERCARGILL

DISPUTE OVER FREIGHT CHARGES ‘ (New Zealand Press AssoeiaUon) INVERCARGILL. November 5. Southland country bakers guaranteed today that there would be no shortage of bread when two Invercargill bakeries cease country deliveries on M ?n d t& meantime the two bakeries have reaffirmed their decision to cease country deliveries, which will affect an estimated 30.00? people, and have protested to the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr J. T. Watts). Yesterday the two bakeries decided, after months of negotiations with the Price Tribunal, in an effort to obtain a freight charge which would “make country deliveries economic” that they were going to take direct action. . . _ . Replying to Mr Watts’s statement that he had been given no officiali notification of the "strike,” the bakeries spokesman,. Mr W.- W. Millar, sent'-a telegram to the Minister today. Country bakers today said they would guarantee the supply of bread even if they had to work long , hours of overtime. One baker said he could quadruple his output if necessary, and he was willing to do so. He claimed that many country bakeries had been put out of business by the city bakeries. Questioned about the position, the Member of Parliament for Awarua (Mr G. R. Herron) said: “NoW that the city bakeries are in effect going on strike when arrangements are still being considered my sympathy for them has ended.”