Cost Of Men’s Haircuts May Increase

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32381, 21 August 1970, Page 17

Cost Of Men’s Haircuts May Increase

“Average prices for men’s haircuts in Christchurch may . go up another 10 cents with;in the next two months,” said Mr B. J. Sansom, president of the Christchurch • Hairdressers' and Tobac- : conist’s Association. “The . rise in price will dei pend on the outcome of the revision of general wage rates later this year.” i Mr Sansom said that prices ! went up by an average of 10 t cents last June when the wage rate for a qualified male ' hairdresser was,,set at $40.50 • a week. The average price for a i haircut in the Christchurch > urban area is between 60 cents and 65 cents, while bair- > dressers in the suburban - areas charge 55 cents to 60 , cents. The higher prices in s the city area are mainly due ' to higher rents. There is no price control t on haircuts and prices are set : by hairdressers, taking into 1 account factors such as wages, ; rents, and the cost of equipI ment. Each customer is en- : titled to a clean towel and : haircutting tools are sterilised before each haircut

s A hairdresser can do about / four haircuts an hour. Tak- - ings could average about $3.35 ' cents an hour. i- “Continuity of work has dei creased, however, because of - new hairstyles,” Mr Sansom j said. “People grow their hair - longer so they don’t come in > so often for a haircut. There 3 are also fewer qualified hairdressers practising their s trade because wages are not ) high enough.”