QUEER RIDDLE OF MYSTERY BAKER

NZ Truth, Issue 1305, 18 December 1930, Page 1

QUEER RIDDLE OF MYSTERY BAKER

BUYS BREAD FROM ASSN.MEIMBER TO SELL AT FIVEPENCE

AND STANDARD PRICE IS TWOPENCE DEARER

Residents of the Dominion Road district of Auckland have lately been intrigued by the appearance of a somewhat mysterious baker, whose cart bears the inscription, "C. Brooks, Baker, Dominion Road," and who offers bread to householders free for a day, a couple of days, or even a week, aaid afterwards at sd. per loaf, just 2d. under the standard price of 7d. Many "questions have been asked about him: Herewith "Truth" .throws a little publicity on this mysterious individual.

JN the fir«t place let it be said that the van which bears the name of Brooks was registered m the name of Alexander Peddie, of Peddie Brothers, a firm of master bakers, of Queen Street, Onehunga, until November 5, when the van's registration was transferred to Brooks; that no man named Brooks has applied to the Labor Department for a permit to bake bread, and that a telegram addressed to "C. Brooks, Baker, Dominion Road," was returned by the" Post Office because such a person was not' known m Dominion Road. . WHEN "Truth" interviewed Alexander Peddie, his explanation of these peculiar facts was quite simple. He declared that he did not know at what price Brooks was selling his bread, but the vendor made more out of the bread than the baker himself, and there was a lot." of price-cutting going on. Peddie stated that Brooks bought bread from him, but he Gould not say what Brooks' address actually was. He added that originally the van was registered m his name, but that Brooks had since purchased it, and if the registered name of the owner had not been, altered, it must be the fault of the officials. As a matter of fact, the registration to the no me of Brooks was transferred on November 5 last. There can be no question, of course, that Brooks has no bakery of his own. On the van his address is given as "Baker, Dominion Road," but when "Truth" sent him a telegram to that address it was undelivered, and the postal officials notified "Truth" that the reason was the fact that Brooks was not known m Dominion Road. Moreover, Alexander Peddie admits that Brooks buys bread from him. and "Truth" has observed the van labelled Brooks calTng at the Peddle bakery of an early morning. The mystery of the whole affair, of course, is how Brooks can buy bread from Peddie, a member of the Master Bakers' Association, and successfully sell it at sd. per loaf, 2d. under the standard price, which is presumably rfixed by the Master Bakers' Association. The riddle that requires unravelling is how Brooks, buying bread from a member of the Master Bakers' Association,, can sell that bread at 2d. under the standard price charged by the Master Bakers. It suggests one of , two things — either the standard price is giving the Master Bakers a huge profit, or Brooks is either selling it at a loss or just making ends meet. But whatever the explanation of -the mystery may be, the fact remains that the van labelled "C. Brooks" has been making a tour of the Dominion Road district, and "Truth" has quite a number of statutory declarations from Offer Refused householders who have been visited by the driver of this van. These affidavits are all along the same lines. Here is one that is typical of the rest: "A man, driving a van with the name 'Brooks' on it and 'Bakec, ■ Dominion Road/ offered me bread for nothing for a week if I liked, and then if I liked it at sd. per - loaf. He said, 'I'm giving it away m all the streets.' .This was about six weeks ago. Me is still coming round. I refused his offer." There is another baker m the Dominion Road district, H. J. Ashby, and when "Truth" commenced inquiries into the doings of the mysterious "C. Brooks," who sells bread 2d. cheaper than Peddie Bros. themselves, although he admittedly purchases it from them, it discovered that ' Brooks possessed a predilection for calling on customers of Ashby. Thus, to give only one example out of several, he had called at only one of three stores within 50 yards of each other, and by a singular coincidence that store- was one served by Ashby. When "Truth" put Peddie Brothers' bakery under observation, the van bearing. the name of Brooks was observed to enter the Arthur Street entrance about 6.30. It remained there for about a quarter of an hour, and then departed on its usual rounds. It is well known that the Auckland Master Bakers' Association has been lately trying to induce all bakers to link up with the association, aa ness the following circular, dated

October 29 iast, and signed by G. K. Mathieson, president: "To members of. the baking trade: "Dear Sir, "During the last three, months the secretary of the association and myself have given the whole time trying to get a fair return for. the bakers of their capital and labor. In reviewing the position at the meeting on the 14th? that time seems to have been wasted, and things are now drifting to such an extent that the big firms must step m to protect themselves. The small baker has been 'consulted and given all information whether he was a member of the association or not, and there was never a time more than the present when the small baker should belbng to the association. "The award just issued to the Sydney Automatic Bread Company, gives them the right to start any time they like without any penalty, and the right to employ all junior laborers, and they need hot employ a baker at all. Every endeavor is to be made to extend,. the same to automatics m -New Zealand. This is enough to alarm all hand bakers, arid it was decided at Tuesday's meeting that members-only Of the association should be considered "Our award for New Zealand is how being considered for Jury. Join up and have jour say. "Yours faithfully, G. K. Mathieson, President." But when such cases as the one instanced above occur, can the Master Bakers wonder that many bakers refuse to link up with the* association? It shows at least that there is something radically wrong. Here is a member of the Master Bakers selling bread to a man who is re-selling to the public at 2d. under the standard price! What, explanation can the Master Bakers offer?- Can they prove that this bread is being sold at a loss by Brooks? And,' if not, can they prove that the standard price of 7d. is not reaping the Master Bakers an exorbitant profit? , It certainly looks as though a full and frank explanation is due to the Small Men ,< public from the Master Bakers' Association, who should thoroughly inquire into the whole matter. But for Peddie's explanation, it would have certainly appeared as though an attempt was being made to put a small baker, m the person of Ashby, who is not a member of the Association, out of business; but Peddie declares that he has sold the van to Brooks, and that all he does is to sell bread to the latter, who is presumably acting on his own initiative. "Truth" firmly believes that the small baker is required; for if the small men are driven out of business, the Master Bakers will be m a position to demand whatever price they like for bread. They could lump it up to Bd. or even 9d., and the public would have to take it or leave it. In this particular case. Brooks would merit the public's support if he were baking his own bread, instead of purchasing it from a member of the Master Bakers. He is selling it to the public 2d. cheaper than the standard price, but he has no bakery of hia own, no permit to bake bread, according to the Labor Department, and 'consequently no guarantee that his supplies of bread won't suddenly cease. In view of all the circumstances, therefore, it is Ashby, a small and independent baker, not m the Association, who deserves and who should receive the public's support, even though He charges more than sd. asked, by Brooks. He is m the business for good, and it is such men as he who stand between the . public and exploitation at the hands of a bakers' combirie.