PRICE OF BREAD

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1930, Page 2

PRICE OF BREAD

REPLY TO CRITICISM

AUCKLAND, July 14

A (iritieism of recent statements published regarding the price of bread was offered to-day by Mr J. H. Barker. secretary of the Northern Boiler Mills, Limited. “With reference to the, present price of wheat, 1 have a'. cable message dated July 9th in which Australian wheat is quoted at 4s 3td f.0.b., Sydney. ” said Mr Barker. “Taking into consideration freight and other expenses that would be equivalent to about ds 6d in store, Auckland. To manufacture that into Hour, the cost in round figures would be around £l7. From this, however, it is only fair to point out one has to deduct the amount received for uflmib is among millers termed offal, approximately £3 10s u ton, making the price £l3, 10s a ton net. Added to this there are overhead expenses such as the cost of delivery, bad debts, and sundry other expenses and. or course, allowing some margin for a return on the labour and capital employed. Supposing, it has been suggested, the price of flour could, by the removal of the duty, be lowered by £6 10s a ton. that would not make possible the sale of the 2lb loaf at 3jd. That the price of bread in Auckland is not unreasonably high is, I suggest, conclusively proved by the fact that in Sydney, with flour at £ll a ton, bakers were getting b|-d to Gd per 21b loaf, Qf course there will be in Sydney as in Auckland some who are cutting the price, The public generally overlook the outstanding fact that they have ultimately to bear the loss incurred.

“Bread to-day is unquestionably the cheapest article of diet, but consumption is declining. r lhis in a measure may ibe attributed largely to the variety of breakfast foods now Being offered and concerning the price of which we never hear a solitary complaint, yet if comparison is made it will be readily seen that bread still holds the premier position in regard to being the cheapest article of diet.”