GROCERY PRICES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 84, 6 October 1938, Page 20

GROCERY PRICES

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Your article headed "Going Up" *is misleading and not even a fair : statement of the grocery price or working position. First, you say housewives have noted a decided increase in the price of groceries since the Labour Government came into power. What a sweeping statement without foundation. The real position is that thousands of housewives now have £4 10s instead of £1 7s 6d per week to buy with, and whilst admitting a small price increase on overseas goods of about 10 per cent., thousands, of housewives* purchasing power has increased by 300 per cent. Further, you state "it is not easy to arrive at comparative figures in the case of all groceries." Why, then, try and make a weak case weaker by picking out overseas lines over which the Labour Government has no control? I can give you many instances where not only housewives are happier about grocery prices but grocery proprietors are also to be listed with those enjoying more prosperous times.. As evidence of my statement, grocery businesses today command a definite goodwill price, whereas prior to the advent of this Labour Government many grocery businesses were hot worth anything. Further to this statement two large grocery businesses in New Zealand this year, for the first time, paid a dividend and also carried forward substantial amounts to reserve. These facts were published in your columns. In regard to your price figures, butter ls 4|d, bacon ls 4d-ls sd, today: I well remember under a previous Government that was not Labour, butter was 2s 5d and bacon ls 9d. Then you take honey prices—you should have included along with honey the cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce situation of this last season. In the main weather conditions govern the supply of those commodities, also price is governed by supply and demand. Your informant, to be consistent and fair, should have stated price falls also; for instance, bread, potatoes, oatmeal, and rolled oats, along with "foods that the people cannot do without" are as cheap as ever. ... I could quote you further along the lines proving that your article is biased and misleading. In regard to legislation effects, your article says: "Only grocers in a large way were able to cut out the merchants.*" That is just where the shoe pinches; the large grocer has been brought into line with the average grocer through today's legislation, and the average grocer that helps to support the merchants and their employees is as well oft" as the large grocer who can cut out the merchant. You also said one employer characterised the award as the worst ever issued in New Zealand. Ido not know of one grocer's assistant that has a complaint to make against the award and I have met only three master grocers in Wellington who have voiced any material disapproval. Surely some minority out of over 300 grocers in this city and suburbs of Wellington.— I am, etc., UNBIASED GROCER. [The article referred to was based upon information obtained from reliable sources and did not purport to cover all lines but to give a reasonable survey of the housewife's position. No doubt housewives whose income has increased by 300 per cent, can afford to pay increased costs for groceries and other commodities, but even the Labouy Party does not attempt to suggest that 300 per cent, increases in income are common.—Ed.3