PRICE OF BREAD.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20168, 21 February 1931, Page 14

PRICE OF BREAD.

WHEAT AND FLOUR DUTIES. master' bakers*.. - attitude. X {SPECIAL TO THE FBESS.) GEEYMOUTH, February 20. The price of bread in. relation „to the sliding scale of. wheat and flour duties was discussed to-day at the final session of the New Zealand Master Bakers' and Pastrycooks'. Association's Conference. Referring to a statement in the Greymouth newspapers as to a reduction in the price of bread, Mr H. P. ; - Burton, president (Auckland), said he thought j the Press deserved to know something more than they did of the Aasdciation'B i attitude, and he therefore made the following official statement: "As the Press of New Zealand has, definitely sought' a statement .from thp bakers regarding the price and the attitude of this Federation tp ,thb r present sliding scale ttf wheat and fldur and as' in any 1 - case. the - country in these difficult times is entitled r to Such statement on your behalf, -I am taking this opportunity of reviewing the posi-. tion regarding the sliding scale; 'lt is clear that the Government definitely has fixed* the scale until the end 'of tlxil yoar. That "being, so it can only be revised by Government action. The Primo Minister is committed and has committed his Government to the exrangements, and it seems idle to 'snggest that there can be any revision, of the 1 position at least until the end ,of thiß year." . '/ v The Government's Policy!, "It is only fair to point out to •the public," continued Mr Burton, " L thWt the arrangement is the product of Government servant ratified by the newGovernment'in' power and .since 1 confirmed by the Forbes Government. That being bo there can be imm&diate source to relief only through the farmer pending- $ reduction of the jprice of wheat to the miller. Then what of. the miller! If reduction is to be made, it can only be made immediately through wheat prices being reduced or a - revision "of production costs. It has to be remembered that the bran ahd offal question is a.definite factor and at*the present time' the position is definitely against the miller. What then of the' bakerf It is necessary t to remind the public that, with 1320 loaves produced, from ono ton of flouj that this *epre r . sents £2 15a per ton of flour on a rise or fall of flour of one-.halfpenny per", loaf. In view, therefore, of the fact that the baker is right ifp against, a fixed charge of flour it sible to make any alteration in- the price of bread to the New Zealand' consumer until some relief can be made' from the farmer and miller. I-am prepared to say,.however, that the Federation will definitely commit iteelf to any conference wliereby the position may be reviewed. We are prepared to make, our contribution to 'the present need of national stocktaking,' with a view to reducing the price of bread. It is only right to our industry to say that high-price bread is no wisli of the baker,, for the lower-priced' article must stimulate sale's and stimulated sales m§an more.- employment." The Conference approved the president's statement, it being pointed out that recent increases of £1 per tdn in the price' of flour had not been passed on to the public.'