FLOUR AND BREAD.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13297, 28 May 1907, Page 3

FLOUR AND BREAD.

To the Editor of the Timaru Herald. Sir, —Tha risa recently made in the price of flour by the New Zealand Millers' Association and the probability of the South Canterbury Master Bakers' Association increasing the price of bread ar-e two matters of interest to all householders. It will be remembered that in 1903 evidence regarding the Flourmillers' Trust was' taken before a special committee of the Houre of Representatives. This evidence clearly showed (1) that the flour industry in New Zealand is over-capitalised—the mills couid produce three times the quantity required for home consumption; (2) that a combine of the principal mills was formed with a constitution providing for a deliberate restraint of trade with a penalty on any mill producing more than its allotted output ; (3) that the restricted output was pooled and each mill credited with its proportion of the predetermined monthly output; (4) that the price of flour was regulated so that each mill made a profit on its capital value although its power of production was restricted; (5) that there was anagreemnet between the Millers' Trust and the Master Bakers' Union to regulate the price of bread and compel " free" bakers to charge the same price as the Bakers' Union; (6) that the Millers' Trust boycotted free bakers by refusing to sell them flour. Public attention being drawn to the above facts there was such an ■otucry on the part of th« people that Parliamentary interference was threatened and the Millers' Trust found it necessary to suspend some of the above methods. The system of regulating prices still continues and a table compiled from latest papers shows how much the New Zealand Millers' Association's prices are above those ruling in Australia. Price Price Wheat Ploui per bushel per ton Rvdney os 10£ d £8 10s [Country Mills, N.5.W... £8 Melbourne 3s £7 15s Adelaide 3s 6£d £7 10s Dunedin " 3s 9d £9 15s

Your readers can compare Timarn prices; the price of wheat can be seen in your paper, and flour is the sam». prke as in Bunedin £9 15s per ton. It wiU be .'-een that wheat is practically the same nrice in Melbourne a:; it is in New Zealand, yet flour is £2 a ton cheaper in 'Melbourne. Is it not time that the people of New Zealand took steps to get the present duy of £1 a ton on imported flour removed? Who benefits by it? A T ot the consumer; not the farmer. It is of b£*K-flt solely to the Millers' Trust and enab'es t-ha-fc* body to keep New Zealand prices at 25s to 30s a ton in advance of Australian prices. Some people urge, and rightly too, that the Government shoiild establish milling plar-ts and so do away with th° present .monopoly. Experts say that if the State undertook the work, bread of the highest (ivality coiild be supplied at five pence a. If-if to the people. There is another matter which it would be well to impress upon the members of the IFa.'ter Bakers' Union, namely—'hat a two-pound loaf should actually weigh.two pounds, and a four-potmd loaf, four pounds. A long standing grievance on the part of manv householders would then be removed. Hoping that this letter may rouse public interest in this matter. I a in. etc. HOUSEHOLDER.