BREAD PRICES

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 69, 23 March 1931, Page 8

BREAD PRICES

(To the Editor.) "

Sir,—ln the "Evening Post" of 10th March, .Mr. A. J. Clegg criticises figures mentioned by Mr. Macpherson, M.P. for Oamaru, speaking in the House of Representatives and resents the alleged inference from Mr. Macpherson's remarks insinuating that the bakers are to blame for the present price of bread. I did not see Mr. Macpherson's statement, nor do I-know whether Mr. Clegg is incorrectly interpreting same; nevertheless, I am sure the public would like to know the facts. Take a 21b loaf, for which the public pays Gd. What part of that Gd goes to the wheatgrower, to the ilourmiller, and to the baker? Without burdening you with full details meantime, the following summary answers the question. A ton of ilvuv yields, say, 127G ,two-pound loaves. The. average price for milling wheat to-day is 5s 9d oA. Canterbury stations, and from the product of the wheat bran and pollard has to be deducted. 1,276 loaves at 6d equals ...... £31 18 .0 Bread £ s. d. eauivalent. Wheatgrower— 48 bushels at 5s 9d 13 16 0 Less bran and i pollard 1 16 0 Is 0 0 (37.7%) 2.26 d Miller— Cost of milling and sellins .. 317 0 (12%) .i2d ■Baker— Remainder left for transport of Hour, additional ingredients, baking, and selling 16 1 0 (50.3%) 3.02 d : £31 18 0 (100%) 6d, ■ The above shows the wheatgrower gets 2.26 d for growing the wheat. For that 2.26 dhe has to pay for threshing and carting, hence it can safely be said of the 6d the public pays the wheatgrower only receives 2d. The flourmiller s share for converting the wheat into flour is less than three farthings per 21b loaf. The remainder of the 6d-3.o2d—please understand, is represented by railage, wharfage, sea freight, cartage, in addition to other charges outlined above. Mr. Clegg rightly remarks that it does not represent profit to the baker, for different kinds of workers handling the flour before it reaches ' the baker, get part of the 6d in wages. General Observations.—l agree with Mr. Clegg most of the articles appearing m the Press for some months past have been so obviously exaggerated and biased that it would seem futile to set out the true facts. However, now that this particular matter has been brought so definitely before the public I desire to particularly draw attention again to the above. Free Trade.—Mr. Clegg's final remarks that flour imported from Australia duty free would mean a reduction in the price of bread. That, of course, is for two reasons—(l) because wheat, is being produced in Australia at considerably less than the cost of production, and (2} because of free trade-but the average city worker in New Zealand approves and appreciates Customs protection.—l am, etc., LUX.'