PRICE OF BREAD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3008, 20 February 1917, Page 4

PRICE OF BREAD

BOARD OF TRADE'S ACTION.

The action of the Wellington bakers in raising the prion of the 41b. loaf to lid. delivered, is being considered, by the Board of Trade. The members of 'the board had ajwady studied in detail tho relation between the price- of bread and tho price of flour. After hearing evidence from various quarters and collecting all the information within, their reach, they stated that with flour costing £15 per ton tho price of bread should not exceed 9Jd. per 41b. loaf delivered, while the addition ol £1 toVthe Co6t of the flour should add id. to the price of the loaf. Tho Wellington bakers state that with flour costing £15 per tan. at southern ports, they have to pay nearly £16 at tho bakeries. The price of thn Joaf delivered, according to tho Bportf of Trade's scale, should not exceed 10d. If the Board of Trade now recommends tho Government to fix a maximum retail price for bread, thus coiitpleting the chain from tho wheat to ths loaf, the charge is likely to be fixed on a "cash-over-the-counter" basis. The Wellington bakers are at present selling bread to the storekeepers and grocers at 9d. per 4lb. loaf, this bread being retailed over the counter at lOdv Some of the bakers soil bread in shops attached to their bakehouses, but it does not appear that any of'them sell to the consumers at the price charged the retailers.