THH FALL IN PRICE OF FLOUR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2544, 19 August 1915, Page 3

THH FALL IN PRICE OF FLOUR

- EFFECT ON THE PRICE OF BREAD. The price of flour lias fallen from £17 and, £18 f.o.b. in the south to £15, making it possiblo .tojaiid flour in Wellington bakehouses at £15 155.. per ton in sacks. Though the price has been quoted as low as £14 10s., there has been no intimation of any. lowering .in tile price of bread. An explanation of the position was sought yesterday from a flour merchant who has had extensive dealings with both southern and American flour. He stated that it was hardly likely that there would be a fall in the price of bread immediately as most of the big bakers were fairly well stocked with flour, for which they had paid £17 and £17 10s. per ton, and until that stock, Trtis exhausted. and they were able to work with cheaper flour it was not likely that they would cut down the price of bread. It, was different with the smallor baker, who probably had not the capital to buy large stocks at the high price, and who lived on purchases made from week to week. Ho would be able to take hnmediato advantage of the fall in price (though actually very little had arrivedin Wellington since the £15 quote was received), but wlieiker lie would reduce . the price of his bread whilst others were getting the full sd. per 21b. loaf could not be said. ■ The position at present is. that flour is obtainable at £15 per ton. f.o.b. in the south, and that the public is being asked to pay for bread on' the £17 10s. basis. In Christchurch the 21b. leaf is being sold for 4d. —in Wellington the price is sd.