HOUSEWIVES DIFFER FROM BAKERS OVER BREAD DELIVERY

Grey River Argus, 22 March 1947, Page 3

HOUSEWIVES DIFFER FROM BAKERS OVER BREAD DELIVERY

DUNEDIN, March 21,

“This is simply a bogy created by the press, which has exploded,” said Mr. A. T. Robertson (Dunedin) when bread deliveries were under discussion at the conference of the Federation of Bakers and Pastrycooks. He understood that the total response to requests from all bakeries in the' city that customers should advise them that they required bread delivered came to about 47 customers, and he considered that not 1 per cent, of the bread baked was going out on delivery to customers. “I think that within about three months there will be no bread deliveries, and everyone will be perfectly satisfied,” he said ■ Delegates said that customers still apparently wanted to be carthorses. Delivery of bread was available, but they did not want to take advantage of it. With the cost of new vans and repairs to old vans it was not a practicable proposition, and if an extra charge were to be levied for cartage people simply would not pay it. P.A. WELLINGTON, March 21. • “The statement made in Dunedin about deliveries of bread might almost be classed as a classic phantasy”, said the president of the Wellington Housewives’ Association, Mrs Patricia Harris, tc-day, referring to a Dunedin baker’s description of the agitation for bread delivery as a press bogey. The problem of bread deliveries was one which had exercised the minds of housewives and the Government alike for some time. Many bakers were now giving an excellent delivery service voluntarily, and some grocers also managed to carry on household deliveries' in the face of -great difficulties. Housewives were grateful to these tradesmen, as the non-de-livery of essential foodstuffs had given rise to grave disquiet among those concerned with the health of women and children. The Plunket Society was greatly concerned at the deleterious physical and mental effect of the carrying of heavy burdens in all weathers by women of all ages.

“I would like to ask the master bakers to consider all these factors before depriving the community of a service which has been regarded in the past as a natural obligation of the baking trade”.