BREAKFAST TABLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17183, 29 October 1923, Page 7

BREAKFAST TABLE.

RETAIL PRICE REVIEW. | POOLS AFFECT CONSUMERS. BACON PRICES CRITICISED. The effects of the formation of pools tor the disposal of the Dominion's prini- ' ary products are now beginning to be telt by the consuming public, and in stead of prices haviug a downward teu'4 in a number of cases, is in the direction of increases. On the other hand there are signs that a number of - imported grocery lines may be cheaper in the near future, but it is unlikely that these •reductions will balance the higher prices ruling for local produce. A typical example of the way in which the public are being called on to pay for the existence of pools is the present high price of bacon. With out any apparent justification for an advance of more than 2d a lb. the wholesale price of bacon has been in creased during- the past few weeks to the extent of sixpence a lb. Wholesale price-lists issued by one of the principal curing firms of the Dominion show the following variatiorfs in the net prices per lb on the dates

l ! Hams Is 3d Is 4d Is 6d During the same period the average rise in the price of bacon pigs at the ® Addington market was not more than 3 twopence a lb. On August 1 the average • price was 7d to 7§d : on August 29. 6JJ to 7d ; on September 23. 9d to lOd : on October 10, 7d to Sd. and on October ] 24, Bsd to 9d. INCREASES NOT PASSED ON. . Up to the present the leading city retailers have advanced their prices by one penny a lb only, hut the public 3 may expect to he required to pay Is i 9d a. lb in the near future. ± A leading retailer expressed himself t ! iu strong terms this morning regard- _ j ing the latest increases. “The public | are now beginning to reap the whirll I "the P°els and combines, anti in my opinion the whole matter should receive the* closest inquiry,” he remarked. The la tv of supply and demand does not seem to be allowed to func tion in the -wav it should, hnd the worst feature is that these selling combines appear to have boon legalised by Parliament. ** 1 BACON CURER S VIEWS. , -V wholesale bacon curer stated thL , morning that there was no justification for the increases in the price of bacon. The reason was, he said, that some gro [ cers buy on long credits, and that accounted for the high price. “So far as T am concerned,” he added, “ there is no rise of 5d or 6d a lb. The rise is only with an odd firm or so. It is ot no use making a hue and cry about the matter. It is the grocer’s own business which is at fault. Because one firm is charging a certain price it does not follow that others are. The grocers can get hac-on at a price which will permit them to- sell at Is 6d, and there is no justification for a higher j price.” BUTTER AND CHEESE. An increase in the wholesale price of cheese of twopence a lb was made | recently but retailers state that it lias not yet been passed on to the public. The net wholesale price is now lid a ! lb, and retail prices vary from 3s to Is 4d a lb, according to ago and qual- , No alteration has been made in the price of butter. "Between October and Christmas butter is usually reduced by from 4d to od a lb, but if tlie recently formed butter pool is successful, J expect it. will go up instead of coming down.” said one grocer. He added that the whole tendency of pools was to make the public pay as much as possible for the primary products. Wholesale tea prices are firmer by about a penny a lb, but retail rates are unchanged. The best packet blends are still selling at 3s 2d a lb: Supplies of eggs are still plentiful, and prices .'ire unchanged. Farmers’ °£S- S are selling at Is 2d a dozen and first grade eggs at 3s 4d. Fowl wheat has, however, recently advanced in price to the extent of 3s a bushel and is now selling retail at 8s a bushel. MEAT AND FT SB. A a lues for both beef and mutton advanced at last week’s stock sale at the Addington yards, and ir the advances are maintained they will probablv be reflected shortly in the retail prices. With the exception of whitebait winch is scarcer on account of the floods in the rivers caused by the nor'westers, supplies of most varieties of fish are good. The oyster season will finish at the end of this month, but already the market is bare of them, owing to the difficult*- of keeping them fresh in the hot weather. Retail prices to-day are . Groper lOd and Is a lb: ling 8d and 30rl ; moki 9d and Is: terakihi 7d and Is; gurnet 7d and Is; butterfish JOd : soles 3s- flounders Is Whitebait is 2s 3,1 a half pound ami large crayfish are Is 6d and 2 S each. Terakilii, haddocks and flounders are the only smoked varieties on hand. VEGETABLES CHEAPER. Most vegetables are cheaper to-dav than was the case last week and the expectations are that last week’s high prices will not again be reached this summer. The following is a range of to-day’s prices, compared with the prices ruling a week ago: Cauliflowers Is 6d and Is 9d each (Is fxl. 3s 9d and 2s): spring cabbages, 6d each (Is 3d); lettuces, largest, -id each (4d, od and i 3d) : radishes 2d a- bunch '2d); spring onions 3d a bunch (3d) ; parsnips (dearer) largo sorts 3d each <fd a hunch): carrots 3d a bunch (3d); beetroot, 2(J a bunch (2d): locally grown peas icheaper) Is to Is 3d leeks, Pd a bunch : winter marrows Is 3d each ; Hntt \ alley new potatoes (excellent quality) od a lb; asparagus 9d and 3s 1 a bunch ; locally-grown cucumbers Is <3d a lb ; fresh kumeras. 31b a Is : loc-Mly-grown tomatoes, first grade os a lb: cheaper grades 3s <kl to 4s a lb. Bananas, which recently were verydear. are now plentiful and. reasonably priced. J»rices vary from 0 to 24 a shilling. South Australian navel oranges arc selling at od each and Sydney oranges at 3 and 1 a shilling. Cook S Island oranges are now finished. Other fruit prices are: American lemons 4 a shilling; Sydney lemons o a shilling: 1 grape fruit 8d each; passion fruit 4 a i shilling: apples. Stunners (dessert) 3lh i . a shilling. Delicious Sd a lb; Lord i Wolseley 3lbs a shilling: Winter Cole * pears 6d a lb ; American grapes 2s bd ! a lb. ’

mentioned Sept 10 Oct 1-5 Oct 23 Rolls . lid Is 3d I s 6d Sides . 9d Is Id Is 3d Hams Is 2d Is 3d Is 5d