THE PRICE OF BREAD.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 9, 8 December 1883, Page 2

THE PRICE OF BREAD.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE POST. Sir — I think it would have been far wiser if "A Wellington Baker" had kept to his first determination, and had not attempted to reply to my letter. In the first place, he states that now that the bakers arc compelled to give proper weight they have to give •* an extra halfpenny worth of bread with each loaf." This, of course, means that " A W. llington Baker" has been defrauding each of his cu3tDtuei*s m the prst to the extent of one half-penny ou each two-pound loaf. More unblushing impudence than this confession exhibits, I never met with." Evidently "it is quite time the " vexatious Act" was passed. Next he says that " loug credit is a curse to tradespeople," and the way m which he and his " ring" encourage people to pay cash is by raising the price to ready-money customers 15 per cent., while those who take long credit and m many instances never pay at all, are left alone and get their bread ut the old price ! It may be, as your correspondent says, that I know but little about bread ; but it seems to me, from the extraordinary admissions m his letter, that " A "Wellington Baker" knows still loss about honesty, fairdealing, and common-sense. As to the quan ity of bread produced by a ton of flour, my calculations were perfectly accuiate. A sack (2801bs) will give from 90 to 100 four-pound loayes. My estimate was based on the lower of these figures. My opponent further says that "it is not m the memory of the oldest inhabitant that a baker has made a competency out of bread." "Whether bakers ever attain to a competency or not, I doa'fc know; but certainly so long as they act as they are now doing, they don't deserve to do so. It is, I firmly believe, quite true that honesty is the best policy, and that sharp prao- , tice and bad faith with customers do not prosper m the long run. One sugges'ion m conclusion. .The j list of bakers advertised m your columns as belonging to f " the ring " does not seem to me to include all the members of the trade m Wellington. Let those who have not gone m with »* A Wellington Baker " publicly notify the fact and I am sure they will be supported by consumers. In addition, they will clear themselves from the imputation of being concerned m a senseless, unbusinesslike and unscrupulous combination, of which any respectable tradesmen ought to be ashamed. — I am, &c, Householder.