WHEN SHOULD BREAD BE BAKED?

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 64, 2 April 1937, Page 6

WHEN SHOULD BREAD BE BAKED?

An 89 - Year - Old Controversy NEW ZEALAND ATTITUDE To those who ar© abroad, after work or pleasure, in the small hours of . the morning, the glimmer of light under the door of a bakery is a familiar sight. And to those who enjoy fresh bread in spite of the croakings of dietitians — the baker's morning supply, only a few hours from the oven, is a very pleasant instjtution. Not many realis© tbat tbis institution is tbe subject of a worldwide controversy — and of an international convention. In New Zealand the controversy, has attracted little publjo notice. Bui in England it bas been debated in the House of Commons, from time to time, since 1848, when the first bill to prohibit night baking was introduced, According to a writer in the Manchester Guardian, there is no real unanimity among either employers or employees. In a debate on the British Factories Bill, a report says, a trade union leader and an empioyer both favoured tbe abolition of nigbt baking, The British Government has never ratified the international convention of 1925, adotped by the International Labour conference, for the abolition of night baking. But this year it set up a committee to investigate the proposal. In New Zealand, according to Mr C. E. Boon, president of the Canterbury Master Bakers' Association, master bakers are uncompromisingly opposed to "daylight baking." Mr Boon said that the Australian Government had -sent a representative to Geneva with instructions to vote for the daylight Bakipg convention ; but the representative, after hearing the discussions, had refused to vote. When Bread is Best. " What is called daylight baking is absolutely impractical and very much against the public interest," said Mr Boon. It was in fhe puhlic interest tnat the bread should be haked on the day on which it was* used, and the public was fetrongly opposed to stale bread. Most people said tbat tbey did not like absolutely fresb bread; hui tbey preferred it about 10 or 12 hours old. Bread was actually at its best at that stage. The earlier closing of shops sinco tb© introduction of the 40-hour week compelled bakers to bpgin work earlier in the , night, he said, especially on Saturday, when the bread had to be in tbe shops by 10.30 a.m. Another caus© of workiqg further into the night was the need of quick-lunch counters for bread for sandwiches. The sandwiches bad to be cut about 8 a.m., and the bread had to be from four or five hours' old by that txme, so that it could bo cut. If all baking were done in daylight, bread would be 12 hours older when it was delivered to customers. Tbis would be objected to, especially at week-ends when bread baked on Friday would have to serv© for Sunday. Still Unsettletf British employees bav© been unable to prove by statistics that night work in bakeries is injurious to health, according to oue writer. It has been showu that the death rates of bakers compared favourably with those of all oecupied and retired males; except for the ages from 45 to 65, for which tbe rate was slightly higber. None tbe less, the British committee pf inquiry into the problem, in 1919, before whdch the employees made objections on the ground of injury to health, recommended: "Tbat no person shall be employed for hire in the manufacture of bread or flour confectiontry between the hours of 11p.m. and 5 a.m.," witb certain exceptions. The recommendation was not followed; and after 89 years of discussion, in and out of Parliament, tbe question is still unsettled. In the meantime, ignoring tbe merits of a dispute in which tbey are not competent to meddle, the householders of the Dominion, and of Britain, enjoy "bread at its best" at evening meals. - And many caxmot resist the indigestible delights of very fresb bread for lunch.