WORK BEGINS

Southland Times, Issue 22362, 29 June 1934, Page 8

WORK BEGINS

PETITIONS TO HOUSE TRADING IN BREAD PRICE FIXATION SOUGHT (From Our Parliamentary Reported.) Wellington, June 28.

The first business of the House of Representatives when it opened to-day was to receive petitions and notice of questions. A few urgent questions were asked and then an adjournment was taken until to-morrow.

A large number of petitions asking the Government to take action to stabilize the price of bread and similar petitions will come before the House later. The petitions state: I.—That the present unfair and uneconomic trading on the part of many resellers of bread is making it impossible for bakers to continue in business on a payable basis.

2.—That such unfair and uneconomic trading in bread has become general throughout the Dominion. Many traders stocking numerous other lines have and are offering bread at a price at which it is impossible for the baker to compete. These traders are not looking for profit in bread; they are satisfied to depend upon the profit derived from other articles likely to be purchased by the consumer at the time he buys his cheap loaf, whereas the baker is compelled to depend entirely upon the profit earned from the sale of the loaf.

3.—That the apparent gain to the consumer by price-cutting is so small that it means questionable saving of not more than 3d or 4d a week.

4.—These cutting tactics are forcing bakers into economies which can attack only the labour cost of the loaf, resulting in further unemployment and rendering more difficult the arrangement of equitable wages and condi-

ions of labour. s.—That the family baker is increas-

ing rapidly; paid labour is gradually being dispensed with and cases are on record where the wife and family of bakers have been forced into the bakehouse in an endeavour to keep down costs.

6. —Petitioners therefore pray that with the object of establishing fair trading conditions in the retail bread trade, protecting both the consumer and manufacturer of bread, the Government should exercise its authority under the Board of Trade Act.

7.—The request by petitioners is in the public interest as petitioners submit

that it is not in the best interests of the community to obtain its bread at such a price as will lead to the impoverishment and eventual bankruptcy of many bakers. Pensions. In reply to a question from Mr W. E. Parry (L., Auckland Central) about pensions, the Prime Minister said that it was the intention of the Government to restore the reductions made in public expenditure until such time as finance would permit it being done. “And,” added Mr Forbes, “in reply to the member’s contention based, as he states, on his reading of the opinions of eminent authorities all over the world that the most effective and practical way of restoring prosperity is by increasing overhead expenses, I can only say that the member’s reading must have been confined to a certain type of economist or he has failed to grasp their contentions.” Mr W. E. Barnard (L., Napier) asked the Minister of Finance, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, whether in the case of a legacy of under £2OO sterling being remitted from Great Britain to New Zealand, the receiver would get the benefit of the 125 exchange.

Mr Coates stated that it had been arranged that legacies of up to £lOOO sterling would be transferred to New Zealand at the present rate of exchange. Reference to deceased legislators will occupy the House to-morrow afternoon, and the Imprest Supply Bill will come down in the evening. An all-night sitting is expected.