THE PRICE OF BREAD.

Waikato Times, Volume XL, Issue 3258, 16 May 1893, Page 2

THE PRICE OF BREAD.

Under the above heading samo correspondence has appeared in our columns, which touches upon » subject of very kern interest to our readers in these parts. A great many settlers are enquiring how it is that although prices of all tiadesmens goods, including Hour and bread, are promptly put up whenever any scarcity of stocks occur, there should always be such difficulty in getting them lowered again, whon the corner is turned, This anomaly is particularly noticeable in tho face of the extreme nicety with which the quotation.!—for everything that the farmer has to soll-aro arranged (for him) week by week. Remark' ably so that he may not, by any mischance, receive a ponny moro than the available supply warrants. Cm we even imagino a settler attempting to keep up the price of his butter :;r eggs, or the grazier or grain grower, their beef and wheat, even a day after thero was a surplus announced, Why tho commercial world would simply laugh in derision at the absurdity of it, But how different when it becomes the turn of their wares to be subjected to the vicissitudes of tho law of supply and demand, Circumstances alter cases then, Tho above item of bread alonu, which is only one out of many, forcibly illustrates this strango rnlo of trade, which seems to exist between tho agriculturist and tho tradesman. What (inference is there in the price of bread now, when farmers wheat is selling at 2s (id per bushel, and years ago, when for tho same weight of wheat in to lis per bushel was paid by millers, very little difference if any. Wheat hai fallen 50 per cent, during the last few years, and settlers naturally enquire by what remarkable law is it, that flour and bread lias bean prevontod from falling in value, by something like the fame ratio, The answer can only be found in tho weakness of the agriculturist, and the strength of the tradespeople. Tho farmers, excjpt in rare instances, will nevor work together for tho common weal of thoir class, and are consequently snbjocted to imposition upon all sides; on tiie other hand those engaged in trades and commercial pursuits of all kinds are snnmwhat like the" Spottletoe" family—while hating each other cordially for competing in the same line of business, always united when it comes to aquostinn of attacking the common enomy —tho consumer. This truth is illustrated by the wonderful unanimity with which the rival butchers, baiters, etc., will sign a general announcement raisin? the. prices. The remedy for this, so far as tho agricultural consumers is concerned, undoubtedly lies in their own hands. They produce the food, though in a raw and incomplete state, and a little co-operation and business combination among themselves would enable thorn to have some voice in the matter of fixing tho prices, In any case, Jiowever, if we consider tho many social' reforms now being pressed forward, it is surely not ton much to expect that food, at least, will be obtainable by all classes of the community at its fair value, based upon the cost of production and manufacture, and not, as at present, upon the fictitious values that are regulated by corainewia guilds and trades.