HOT CROSS BUNS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23012, 13 April 1938, Page 16

HOT CROSS BUNS

SUPPLIES FOE EASTEE LOCAL SHORTAGE PROBABLE PRICE TO BE INCREASED HIGH PRODUCTION COSTS Because the cost of employing additional labour is deemed to be prohibitive, two of the largest bakery firms in Auckland will not manufacture hot cross buns this Easter and a shortage in supply is considered probable. Bakers who intend making the buns propose to charge Is 3d a dozen for the best quality compared with Is a dozen in previous years. Master bakers are very concerned' about the high rates of wages they must pay to jobbers or casual bakers on the eve of public holidays, said the secretary of the Auckland Master Bakers' Association, Mr. S. S. Green, yesterday. Casual bakers employed on* the Thursday morning before Good Friday received £1 for eight hours worked on that occasion, as well as £1 on both Good Friday and Easter Monday when they wore not required to work. In addition there was a penalty payment of 2s an hour for any work done prior to 4 a.m. on the Thursday morning as well as an overtime rate for any work exceeding the eight hours. Objection to Conditions

Tho master bakers understood that tlio Minister of Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, had promised to redress this anomalous position in some measure, said Mr. Green. When, however, the matter was referred to the Minister recently, ho denied making any promise and stated that he did not, at present, propose making any amendment in-the law in the direction desired by the association. The association was dissatisfied with the reply and proposed making strong representations to secure more equitable condition. As far as the coining Easter was concerned tho bakers intended organising their businesses so that the service of the casual bakers would not be required, ho added. That would mean, of course, increased overtime for the present staffs and a curtailment in the supply of hot cross buns. The association had decided that the price of good quality buns should be Is 3d a dozen, but two of the largest firms would not be making any buns. Holiday Trade

Mr. Green said it would be clear that bakers made no rich harvest prior to holidays, as was generally believed. On a holiday, consumption decreased because the bread was a day old, but the cost of making the reduced supply for that period rose out of all proportion to the return. About two-thirds of a normal day's supply was baked in preparation for a holiday, while for the second of two adjacent holidays about one-half of a normal day's requirements was made.