"STAFF OF LIFE."

Kumara Times, Issue 204, 30 May 1877, Page 2

"STAFF OF LIFE."

[to the editor.]

Sib, —When it is taken into consideration what flour costs upon delivery in Kumara at the present time, and what it was delivered for in the "Waimea District twelve months ago, the bakers are perfectly justified in raising the bread to Is 3d, as any person having a true knowledge of baking must admit, if he does not desire to grind down the working man to the lowest wages possible. In fact a labouring man earning three pounds per week is better off than a master baker while flour and bread stand at the present rates in Kumara. I shall take for example a business wherein one ton of flour is worked up and distributed during a week. This would require the united labour of, two men at least, for which they would receive for the 700 loaves manufactured, the sum of £35 that is if there were no bad debts. Against this there would be an expenditure as follows : £ a. d. Flour (delivered) - - 27 0 0 Salt and yeast - - 015 0 , Wood - - - - 1 4 0 Kerosene and candles - 015 0 Horse (including feed) .'.'.- 1 30 0 Board - - - .- 210 0 Depreciation of shop, bakery, oven, &c. - 10 0 £34 14 0 Thus it will be seen that two men in business on their own account have only 6s left for themselves, and this, without taking into consideration losses. The baker may have his flour damaged, and if used it will spoil his batch; it may get wet while on its way here from Greymouth or Hokitika, and he may lose five, six, or more pounds of flour to each bag, as is not unfrequently the case during such weather as we have had of late ; his bags may be torn open by rats and much of their contents destroyed ; and he has bad debts to contend with, which cannot be avoided should he wish to do any business. If a baker commenced business here with a determination not to let anyone have a week or a fortnight's credit, he would do no business whatever, for the best customers of a bakery care not to pay for the bread as they get it. I do not deny that this is a matter requiring discretion, but still there must be some loss.

Tou have stated that the cost of production has only increased 7£ per cent; this I consider " Doughey" ought to have refuted, but as he has not done so I may inform you that the increase of flour delivered in Kumara as per quotations to hand is some 55 per cent, on deliveries in the Waimea district some twelve months ago; then it could be had at £l7 10s. and now it reaches £27. In case there should be some that may doubt this statement I give (privately) my name and address. There are some that think it strange that one baker can sell at lower rates than others the reasons for this I consider are for the purpose of creating a connection, or to sell at the lowest possible rates, thereby dooming himself to a lifetime of drudgery, and giving others the benefit of the sweat of his brow without even a monetary equivalent in return, of which there is too much, it grieves me to state. With regard to the " Loafer who don't live on returns" I agree with "Doughey," that his remarks are pure imagination, and that he is quite ignorant of thequestion at issue. I think any reasonable person must admit that there is some just cause to increase the price of bread from the fact that it is not one, but the many bakers here and in other parts of New Zealand, that consider there ought to be an increase on current rates.—l am, <fec, Live and Let Live. Kumara, May 29th, 1877.