Dearer, or Fewer, Meals in Prospect

Evening Star, Issue 26144, 4 July 1947, Page 4

Dearer, or Fewer, Meals in Prospect

Unless representations to be made next Monday ;to the Price Tribunal authorities" in Dunedin for an increase in the price of , three-course meals to 2s 6d are' agreed to, five city restaurants intend either to raise the price themselves without official sane- ; tion.or to.dispense altogether with < this type of meal. This decision was reached yesterday at a meeting of several leading restaurateurs, and it was stated to-day that any action taken by them will have the full support of all < cafe and milk bar proprietors. Why tho trade intended to step up the charge from 2s 3d for a threecourse meal was explained to the ‘Star’ to-day b., a leading restaurant proprietor, who said that rising costs were making it economically impose sible to carry on. The possibility of another general wage increase would place the trade in an untenable position. he said, and in the case of one establishment alone the granting of a further. £1 iper week to employees would advance costs by £SO in that period alone. In June, 1940, he pointed out, a Price Tribunal order fixed three-course meal prices at 2s, and since then jvages nad advanced 50 per cent. Representations were made in the same month of. last year to the. Price Tribunal authorities in Dunedin, and the restaurateurs were assured, after the price, had been raised , to 2s- 3d, that their application for a- further increase in tne cost of all ; meals was being considered by the Government. A. decision on the. outcome of thp6e negotiations was still awaited. | SOARING COSTS. ( Instancing the heavier costs that were being' incurred by the trade, the resutaUrant proprietors said tlyit cabbages had increased in price from 2s to 8s a sack, and cauliflowers on the average from 3s to 15s a sack. The subsidy on sugar and on hams had been lifted, and the extra financial burden entailed-on' these* two items alone sent costs soaring by* 75 per cent. The replacement of machinery and general equipment was also a heavy item, and the breakages and the theft of crockery by customers amounted to £6 per week in the case of one restaurant alone. If the authorities did not grant the increase in the price for three-course meals it was possible that" instead of restaurants taking the law into their own hands only grills or . soup and toast would appear on the menu, the. representative or the trade said. Prices charged in Dunedin restaurants were the cheapest in the Dominion. No attempt, apparently, was made by the trade in the North Island to conform to the scale of charges prepared-by the Price Tribunal. In; Auckland, for instance, a three-course meal cost about 3s 6d, and quick lunches at cafes in Wellington and Auckland coSt 2s ; The trade in Dunedin intends to form an incorporated organisation to protect its interests, and it will embrace, all establishments, including. milk bars and cafes, which expect to be included in any representations made for increased charges to the customer. >■ .