THE PRICE OF BREAD.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 726, 30 March 1853, Page 3

THE PRICE OF BREAD.

To the Editor of the New-Zealandeu. Sir, — “ Matter of Fact” has, as a matter of course, laid himself open to the fiery indignation of the Bakers. I do not know whether he counted the cost of his own part ot the warfare before he entered on it; but it so I fear he made a greater mistake than lie did with regard to the price of the bag of Hour, if he imagined that he would escape unsinged from a peep_ into so much of the Bakery business as surely interests the public, but which seems to be considered by the Bakers themselves to be as entirely their own concern as are their own ovens. Some of the bakers among the “old established” ones have always been sharp in even anticipating the day when a reasonable rise in the price of bread could not be objected to, but they have been invariably slow and among the last to discover the proper time for lowering the loaf again ; and these “live and let live ” tradesmen can ill brook any remark being made on the disproportion between the price of the loaf and the price of the ton of flour. But —not to enlarge on the idea that from the da vs of Pharaoh downwards, and from Egypt to New Zealand, it has been thought no harm to keep a sharp eye upon bakers, from the chief kneaders aown to the dough-boys —there are very obvious reasons why their trade and their prices are more amenable to public observation than many others. They deal in the “staff of life,” and the obtaining of the loaf at a fair charge is the concern of every man, and especially of every struggling man with a family. Besides,yve have all an interest in the matter in its bearing upon the minds of persons at a distance who may have thoughts of coming to live in or near Auckland. If they be, as the majority of immigrants are, persons who have to toil for the maintenance of themselves and those dependent on them, and who, on their arrival at least, have little ready cash to spare, one of the very first questions they will ask is, “ How are the necessaries of life sold in New Zealand ! What are the prices of bread and meat \ These things at least must be reasonable in that corn-growing and grazing country.” Now it may be very true that other trades need some overhauling too ; but I contend that dealers in luxuries are not so much open to public scrutiny with respect to their prices, as dealers in real necessaries , such as our daily bread. 1 doubt if there is a baker in Auckland who, if he was privately conversed with on this subject, would maintain that the loaf could not be sold at loss than its present price, and yet pay a fair profit. The more this matter is stirred up, the worse will it be for “Anti Humbug” and his brethren. Let them then make a virtue of necessity and come down a penny with the best grace they can. The master bakers of Auckland are certainly a hard-working class of men, not merely engaged in superintending their establishments, but practically employing then selves in their business—and who would grudge them the fair reward of such industry. But this very fact proves that they ought to be able to sell the loaf at a price that would shut out every amateur; and yet, judging from the data given by the committee of a Baking Company which these high-priced gentlemen nearly forced into existence some time ago, I will be bound to say that if another such Company were to start to-morrow, they could clear their current expenses and realise a profit too, by retailing bread at even less than fivepcnce the 2Tbs. loaf.—Yours &c., Axti-Damceii.