THE GROCERS' MARKET QUOTATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12954, 25 August 1905, Page 3

THE GROCERS' MARKET QUOTATIONS.

Sir—Mr. Revnolds has opened up a big question by his letter in this mornings issue and one that should have, some attention. As Mr. Reynolds points out, the existing conditions and the market quotations are so widely different that the quota-, tions are a farce, and cause more annoyance and inconvenience than they do good. The 'same argument applies to eggs, for, instead of these quotations being given on a Monday, they should be given on Thursday, the day before market day. Under the present rule a man who gets his supply in on Friday (ami they nearly all do) has a large quantity left on Monday. to carry him on till next Friday, and then on the Monday the market drops; whereas, had! it been altered on the Thursday, it would he all right. I trust this matter will, receive the attention of the Grocers' Committee; and it would be certainly interesting to learn who the gentlemen are who compose that august body, for I have been in the trade for some years and have failed to find out who it is that controls the market, and have often expressed surprise that the farmers axe not represented. To reduce this problem to a nutshell, taking into consideration the present market conditions, the following table will be in-teresting:—-Farmers' butter: Paper price, Bdi to 9d; actual value at the present time, lid to Is. Result, farmer looses od per lb for his butter, and not only is this unfair to the producer, but it is misleading to the public: for, as Mr. Reynolds shows, he cannot buy at anything near the price quoted, and his clients very naturally will compare his invoices with Auckland's remarkable. "market quotations," placing him in a position he has no right to be placed' in. This is not an isolated case, for I have been situated the same. I truii some weightier pen will take this matter up. August 25. John Hoimbs.