THE BAKERS' CONFERENCE.
AN EVENTFUL YEAR.
THE PRICE OF BREAD
[BY TKLKUBAI'H.—OWN COBBKSPONDKNT.]
New Plymouth, Wednesday. The annual report presented at the master bakers' conference stated that never in the history of the association had they found themselves in so satisfactory a condition. The financial position was good, and there had been more unanimity shown by master bakers in taking an active interest, in matters of common concern. The year just closed had been the most eventful the master bakers had ever known. There had been drought a.nd a shortage of grain. The price of flour had fluctuated in a manner unprecedented in the Dominion, excepting in the very early days. The master bakers had had a great deal to put up with at the hands of a certain section oi the public press. So soon as it was found necessary to increase the price of bread, owing to the rise in the price of flour, articles appeared deprecating the action of the bakers. Rises in any other foodstuffs might occur and hardly a word be spoken by the press, but let a baker raise the price of the loaf and there was a perfect howl. Why was' this? Was not the baker entitled to live and meet contingencies on the same conditions as other trades'' Or was he supposed to be a benevolent individual, who was expected to give his wares away or sell at a. loss'' Bakers did not want wheat to be at a high price ; they could sell more bread at the same margin of profit when flour was low.
It was an indisputable fact, it was added, that bakers did not charge enough and did not make sufficient provision for bad debts. This item, were it known to the public, would cause considerable surprise. It had come to such a pass that two master bakers' unions in the Dominion had decided tc sell bread only for cash, on what was known as the " coupon, system," which would lie dismissed at the conference.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13690, 5 March 1908, Page 6
Word Count
337THE BAKERS' CONFERENCE. New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13690, 5 March 1908, Page 6
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