The Price of Bread.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 368, 9 March 1932, Page 6

The Price of Bread.

To the Editor. Dear Sir, —During the last few years a great deal of discussion and feeling has centred round the price of bread, a discussion that has involved the Government, the farmer, the miller, the baker, and the storekeeper in general recriminations, with the result that it has been very difficult to apportion the blame for what has been considered by many to be an exorbitant price for the staff of life. As a result of concessions made by the wheatgrower, already a sweated industry, and the miller, it did appear that we were to get cheaper bread. Judge, then, of my surprise and indignation on learning from my storekeeper that he had been instructed by the Master Bakers’ Association to charge 3d per quarter loaf for cash over the counter. I would like to ask that association why, in view of the drop in the wages and the anticipation of a further drop, the scarcity of employment, and the fact that bakers are getting flour at a reduction of £3 per ton, the small consumer, w’hich includes the old age pensioners and thousands of others to whom one halfpenny per loaf is a consideration, should not participate in the reduction made possible by the farmers’ and millers’ sacrifices? Into whose pockets will the extra profits go? The “ leading city baker ” quoted in the “Star” of March 5. says: “The price of the quarter loaf delivered was 3d, for the cost of leaving it at the door made it impossible to sell it at less.’ Does that justify a charge of 3d where no delivery is required? A reduction has been made in the price of bread delivered. Why not a corresponding drop in that sold over the counter? It makes one think that the baker’s statement in regard to the high cost of delivery is so much “ eyewash.”— I am, etc., A CONSUMER.

“ The position is that the price of bread is down except for the quarter loaf, which can hardly be sold at less than 3d on account of the small turn-over,” said a baker to whom the question was referred. “ Flour has dropped the equivalent of approximately one penny a large loaf and the price has come down by twopence. A corresponding reduction has been made on all loaves except the quarter. With regard to the cost of delivery your correspondent forgets that all the bread has to be delivered to the storekeepers. Another point is that there is a new award operating from January 11 which increases wages in the baking industry.”—Ed., “ Star.”

TT IS WORTHY OF NOTICE how surely in the order of Providence such men as are wanted are raised up.—Southey,