BREAD & BUTTER LINES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10541, 18 March 1920, Page 4

BREAD & BUTTER LINES

WHAT OF THE FRIGES ? WILL GO STILL HIGHER, SAYS PROMINENT GROCER, Householders should find particular interest in the proceedings of the annual meeting of controllers of the grocery business, and will he concerned no douibt as to the statement made, at the meeting that- there "'ill be no fail in the present prices for at least two years. Further, the president of the Grocers" Union has the opinion that ''bread and butter linos" will go still higher before winter. A formal account of the proceedings at the annual meeting of the Wellington Grocers' Employers' Union is as follows: The annual report, submitted by the president, stated that there were 19 members on the register as compard with 50 for the close of tho previous year. An attempt -was . made during the year to increase the membership, but the sub-committee- appointed for tho purpose met with no. success. The position, therefore, remained as before, the majority oi grocers in the city and suburbs preferring to participate in the advantages given to the trade by virtue of the toil and expense of a few. However, tho union would not despair or ultimately enrolling the majority o) those still outside its ranks. A very healthy tone in the prices of advertising was noticeable throughout the trade, which was materially added to by the almost total disappearance of price-cutting "advertisements. During tho year an attempt was made to test the feeling of members on the question, tout a proposal to return to price advertising was overwhelmingly defeated. Considerable difficulty had been experienced by, .the trade during tho past twelve months in getting supplies. Bacon and sugar were the principal items frequently unobtainable. The ,position had, however, improved considerably all round, though prices continued to go upward for most of tho articles the trade carried. Mr Bennett was of the opinion that there would be no fall in present prices for at least two years, while quite a number of bread and butter lines would go still higher , before -winter. After all, actual values were not much higher than in pre-war days, when the purchasing value of the sovereign was correspondingly assessed. Members' subscriptions amounted to £99 9s,' as against £lO9 for the previous-, year. The balance in hand at the' close of last year -was £47 10s 6d, and amount had been increased . to £75 4s 6d for the year under re- j view. I ' ELECTION OF OFFICERS. j The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, -Mr H. D. Bennett; vice-president, Mr R. Janson; committee, Messrs J. Priestly, J. Millner, J. Redmond, J. Mc- . Ilraith, E. Bolton, and H. \Vardell; hon. auditor, Mr E. Read; hon, treasurer, Mr J. R. Burley; secretary, -Mr I H. J. -Stott. • ■ ■ >