PRICE OF BREAD

Southland Times, Issue 22813, 12 February 1936, Page 6

PRICE OF BREAD

PLANS TO STOP UNDUE EXPLOITATION EFFECT OF TRANSPORT CHARGES ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, February 11. Inquiries in official circles as to the price of the standard loaf in provincial centres and towns at some distance from the main port or centre and for the delivery of flour at a fixed price, showed that the authorities have made arrangements to safeguard the standard bread purchasers against undue exploitation. It is obvious that on a geographical basis, there will be many differences in transport charges, some bakers having to pay more for the transport of flour than others, and yet may not have to pay enough more to justify an additional charge of a halfpenny for a 21b standard loaf to meet the increased transport charge. In such cases an adjustment will have to be made in order to prevent exploitation of the consumers in one instance and undue loss to bakers in the other.

It would appear that outside the main centres where the delivery of flour can be maintained at a uniform fixed price, transport charges to bakers in the provincial towns and rural districts will have to be checked by the authorities in order to prevent overcharging for bread. As one official said to-day, these difficulties and possible anomalies will have to be adjusted as the result of experience. WHEAT COMMITTEE. DETAILED SCHEDULE OF PRICES. A circular issued yesterday by the newly constituted Wheat Committee, Flour Section, states that from and including February 10, the sale of all flour, wheatmeal, bran and pollard will be controlled by that committee. The price of flour and wheatmeal, based on a ton of 20001 b is as follows.—2oo’s, £l3 12/; 100’s £l4 12/6, 50’s, £l4 17/6; 25’s, £l5 7/6. Bran, 100’s, £6; £lso’s, £5 15/-. Pollard, 100’s, £7; 150’s £6 10/-. Delivered into store or bakehouse in Invercargill, or free on rail Invercargill for country stations from the local Invercargill mill. Oamaru and Dunedin flour, wheatmeal, bran and pollard on the same basis, free on rail at the mill’s loca Istation. All prices will be prices ruling at the date of delivery.