GROCERY LINES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18445, 5 January 1922, Page 5

GROCERY LINES

oyerdujSSlieductions. MORE TO FOLLOW. (Feom Odb Own Corhespondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, Janiiary 4.' The new year has opened well lor housewives, remarks the Star. A large number of substantial reductions were mode with the re-opening of the, grocer’s shops this morning. Many of these reductions are overdue, having'been delayed until Christmas had passed, but will bo none the less welcome. Dairy produce linos are principally- affected. By to-day’s drop in prices,, bacon, eggs, butter; and cheese have all been reduced. Best rashers of bacon have dropped from Is 4d to Is 2d per lb, and cheaper rashers are obtainable at KM. Eggs, which-- soared to lofty prices just betoro Christmas, have been reduced by 2d per dozen, q,nd are now retailed at Is 5d for first grade, and la 4d for second grade. Cheese has also oomo down, to-day’s price for highest quality factory make being Is per lb, as compared with Is 2d a week, ago. Butter continues to fall, and to-day the price for first grade Canterbury brands was Is 5d per lb, and for second grade Is 4d. “Butter will have to come lower yet if the London market does not improve,” remarked a retailer. “We recognise it is .a serious thing for the country that there should be a crisis in the butter industry, but it is not fair that the New Zealand public should be asked to pay more than London parity. Merchants and the business community generally, had a hard time last year, but out their losses and smiled through it all. Now the dairy former is faced with a loss, and instead ,of doing as the- merchants did he is squealing and asking the Government to save him. Let them bear their losses themselves, add say nothing, but just set to work to improve the standard of their herds. The Government should leave the butter business entirely alone. Among other lines in which there have been now year reductions are kerosene, reduced by Is fid per case. Starch is now selling at Is per packet. No alteration has taken the . price of -tea as yet, but the grocers anticipate a rise before long.. They say merchants ore not anxious to sell, and appear to bo waiting for a rise owing to a reported world shortage of tea. Local tinned meats have not been reduced, ‘ although the time is overdue for a reduction.