MAY INCREASE BY 3D

Chronicle (Levin), 1 October 1947, Page 4

MAY INCREASE BY 3D

PRICE OF MORNING AND . AFTERNOON TEAS Consequent on the rise in price of tea and sugar, tearooms and milkbars in Levin will probably be forced to increase their price for morning and afternoon tea by 3d. It is understood that an agreement to this effect is being made by the local proprietors. It was inevitable that these increases would be passed on to the public, said one proprietor. In view of the high price fqr sugar, he would have to return to individual rations, where before he was able to have a full community sugar bowl on each table. One grill-room proprietor said that he would have to reduce the size of first grade steaks which had been increased in price by 3d. The prices of meat Were governed by the Price Tribunal and so far no notification had been received of permission to increase restaurant prices accordingly. Another proprietor said that the firm was seriously considering omitting steaks frorn the menu as it served only the best of meat and did not wish to lower its standard by introducing lower grade meat. Hotel ' proprietors are in a similar predicament. Increases in tariffs. must follow if costs continued to rise. One private hotel has already increased its tariff. "I feel like closing down the house altogether, what with rising costs, and staff shortages," said another hotel proprietor, adding that a 6d rise in meai prices would probably be inevitable. "The Government is making a difficult situation more difficult," said another. "I feel it is encumbent upon us to make an increase in tariff."