Grocers Complain About Back-door Honey

Chronicle (Levin), 12 February 1948, Page 2

Grocers Complain About Back-door Honey

DUNEDIN, Eeb. 11. Serious eoncem at the shortage of honey last year was expressed by dele'gates to the anuuai eonfereiice of the New Zealand Master Grocers ' Federation today. This shortage was due largely to the use of honey for manui'aetui'ed products, said several of the delegates. •Mr. £5. Parsons (Wellington) urged the federation to take up the question of honey prices because, due to the low authorised priee, sujqrlies whicli should have beeu sold to the retail iiiarkel were being diverted to manufacturers and consequenfly the only way in whieh grocers could obtain supplies was to ouy at retail prices themselves. ' ' There was no honey for sale to private consumers in Hawkc's Bay lasl year,'' said Mxv A. A.- ivilly (Havvke's Bay). "The only way to overcome this shortage is to grant more sugar to commercial users such a iee-creain manufacturers." He wislied to make an empluitic protesL against existing conditions. "The bulk of the honey was sold by the producers at the baclc door," said Mr. F. H. Southgate, the Marlborough delegate. " We know that the black market in honey is flourisliing in parts of New Zealand imt it is unlikely that the Government could take *any eil'ective action. " Other delegates stressed that honey producers would not appreeiate the Grocers' Federation telliug tliem how to ruii their business and it was decided to take 110 further action. Raw Sugar Deal. "We lnive been gettiug a raw deal in regard to sugar supplies. This week the balance of the December quota will arrive in Invercargill," said Mr. A. G. t'ampbell (fSouthland). " Surely if permits are granted supplies should be made nvailable for consumers who wero in many cases unahi e to collect their extra allowanee over the lfoliday pei-iod, until soiue time afterwards. " Tlie secretarv, Mr. It. M. Barker, said that the extra allowanee of sugar for ,jam over the holidays had been granted after a spe.eial request from thref grocers' associations. The trouble had been that shippiug was at that tiint verv short and an additioiial difficult\ was that the sugar refiuefy did not re open until January 12. It was decided to ask the Itationing Controller to iustrjuct his officers tc lssue perniits for sugar supplies up to three luonths in advance because of tlit existing chaotic conditions.