DEAR BREAD

Evening Star, Issue 16353, 20 February 1917, Page 7

DEAR BREAD

PRICE LIKELY TO BE FIXED BY proclamation. JSpkojal to the * Star.'] WELLINGTON, February 20. The action of the Wellington bakers in raising the prico of bread to lid per 41b loaf, delivered, is likely to result in the fixing of the retail price by proclamation. The Board of Trade have already studied this matter in detail, and their members have satisfied themselves that with flour costing £ls per ton tho price of bread delivered should not exceed per loaf; while if Hour costs £l6 per ton (which is approximately the present Wellington price), the loaf of bread should be' delivered for lOd. The board, however, probably will be content to fix a price over the counter, leaving customers who want their bread delivered to strike their own bargain. Wellington master bakers are at present selling the 41b loaf to storekeepers at 9d. the storekeepers in turn retailing at lOd. It may be assumed that 9d is a profitable price from the point of view of the baker. The Board of Trade will not easily .be convinced t:!at lOd is a reasonable price over tho counter, since they believe that with Hour at its present price the loaf can be delivered for that sum.