HIGH PRICES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 97, 6 December 1939, Page 5

HIGH PRICES

DRAWBACK TO TRADE A FARMER'S VIEW A leading article in the BEACON recently dealt with the necessity for co-operation in the town and the habit, of some of the citizens, of

sending their trade elsewhere

This article prompted a visit to t,lie office of this paper of a farmer from Manawahe. Though he cannot be classed as a citizen of Whakatane, he is a potential buyer of the goods sold here, and his view, that the prices in Whakatane are too high in comparison with other ! towns, is possibly the view of others of the farming community. The trade of the farming community, of course, is necessary for a town's existence. This farmer said that he. had investments in Whakatane. He had shopped here for over twenty years. He lives five miles nearer Whakatane than Rotorua. But the only reason for his visit to this town on that day because his wife had to see the doctor. He would not trade here; the prices were too high.

Difference in Prices,

On one occasion recently he had done his buying in Rotorua with a check on the purchase prices as com pared with those existing in Whakatane and he found that he could save £1 on £5 expended. Moreover, some of the goods were superior in

qualitj^

He gave examples of the difference in price of certain articles of clothing. He told of paint purchased in this town and paint bought in Rotorua. The former lasted no time at all and the latter, costing less, is still covering well.

This gentleman said that he would like to see Whakatane progress: that it had a great future if prices alloAA red farmers of the surrounding districts to purchase all their requirements here. He added that the ultimate effect of a refusal to trade in Whakatane Avonld result in commercial stagnation for the toAvn.

He admitted that heavier freight charges would cause some increase over prices prevailing in other centres but was of the opinion that these costs alone did not merit the higher prices in Whakatane. He said that he had asked one retailer in Rotorua why articles were cheaper thei*e and had been told that it was due to competition; that shopkeepers in that town had to keep their prices down if they AA'anted to sell at all.

He concluded Avith the obserA-ation that Whakatane could not progress without trade from the country and trade from the country Avould not be forthcoming, a? much as it should, until prices AA 7 ere dropped.

A Housekeeper's Story,

The of the farmer AA'ere contradicted by a houseAA-ife of Whakatane Avho formerly resided in another Bay of Plenty toAA*n. She said that the prices at present obtaining here compared AA'ell with those in other places.

"It is quite possible." she said, "that one can procure some goods in Rotorua and Tauranga cheaper than in Whakatane but it is only in those lines stocked by the "bargain stores" who haA r e branches throughout the whole of New Zealand, and Avho trade on a strictly cash basis."

This resident Avent on to say that in all lines of foodstuffs and clothing, local charges AA r ere no higher than other places and as a practical housekeeper she Avas 'prepared to continue her trading in this toAA'ii.