BREAD DELIVERIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26781, 26 May 1948, Page 4

BREAD DELIVERIES

A local baker, commenting on the higher prices for bread deliveries and on the possibility of an extended service, has remarked: “I think we will be waiting to get an idea from the public as to what they want.” At the recent sitting of the Price Tribunal a representative of a housewives’ association made it clear what the public wants —bread delivered at as reasonable a price as possible, and freedom to obtain what, bread is desired. It can be doubted if the public want will be satisfied. What will most likely take place is that decisions will be made by the Master Bakers’ Association. It will decide whether deliveries will be made daily or three times a week, and whether the zoning system will be retained. In the past the association has appeared to be reluctant to encourage the delivery system or to do away with zoning. Its attitude seems to be that if it bakes bread for the public its responsibilities should end there. This probably means the simplification of a number of problems from the industry’s point of view and, no doubt, it helps to preserve the profit margin which would be reduced by giving service to the public. These discoveries were made during the war years, when the public was compelled to make some contribution towards overcoming the handicaps produced by restrictions, and there has yet been no indication*that the tradition of service and of competition is to be restored. Just before the last general election the Government interested itself in this matter to the extent of expressing its strong disapproval of the delaying tactics of the bakers, and called upon the industry to recognise' its obligations. Questions of awards, subsidies, claims and amended claims have all been advanced since then as reasons for further delays, and the half-hearted attempts which have been made to institute deliveries have, naturally enough, not beer, warmly received by the public. Even this has in turn been used by the master bakers as a proof that the public does not want deliveries. Nc-.w that the claims for higher prices for deliveries have been met to an extent which must be more satisfying to the bakers than to the housewives, it remains to be seen whether the industry is prepared to make an honest endeavour to serve its customers—and, indeed, whether the Government’s concern was anything more than a pre-election phenomenon. During the Price Tribunal hearing a representative of the master bakers said that if prices •were increased those who were delivering would probably continue, but it was difficult to say whether others would commence. That statement probably gives an accurate indication of what the future position will be unless the public makes a determined move to see that its interests are served.