ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 820, 11 June 1853, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the New Zealand Spectator. Wellington, June lOib, 1853. Sir, —Can nothing be done to wrest tbt desertion of somany-industrions families from the colony in consequence of the uncalled for rise in the necessaries of life, more particularly bread, especially as it is well known there-is .no scarcity of wheat ? Now, admitting wheat to realise 10s. per bushel, why are- we-made to pay 455. for lOOlbs. of flour, and .one shilling, and sixpence for a quarternioar of bread ? For if the following extract from 5 Professor Johnston is to be relied on, we are being most grievously imposed upon at this moment by the Bakersi k and% Flout Dealers: — " Forty-four per, cent, being the, average quantity of water contained in good white bread Itatb in England and France; English wbeaten'flour contains, on an average,-about .16* per cent, of water,- If, therefore, the. bread, baked from it as it comes, from ■ the mill contains 44 percent., every lOOlbs. consists of — Diy F10ur...: ,•••• 561 66 i Water in the Flour naturally.'*.... 10* f f Water added by the r Baker j33* 100. Or, the flour in baking takes up half its weight of water. lOOlbs. of flour, therefore, as it comes from the mill, will give very nearly 150lbs. of bread. , ■ , Thus, the flour and bread contain respectively : Flour contains ' Bread contains Dry Flour 84 ' 84 Natural water 16 16 Water added..so - 100 J" 150 A sack of flour, therefore, or 2801b5., ought to; give about 4201b5. of well baked bread. ' Something must be deducted from this for the loss by, fermentation, and for" the dryness of the crusts. Allowing 5 per cent, for these a sack of ilour should give 400lbs of bread of the best quality, unmixed with potatoes, or 100 quartern loaves. The cost of fine white bread, therefore, compared with tha t of corn and flour ought to very nearly as follows .

Therefore from- they spew fhe^ economy of grinding and baking at .home is, very apparent. - I remain, Sirj yout's &"c. t. -.^; , r ~ „, A -COLONIST.;

TaiX^BHor of the New Zealand Spectator. Wcllmgtaor June 3rd; 1853. Sia,~Hiving seen 'in, the i columns of the Wellington Independent a letter signed " Monitor," asserting that the Governor had not ledeemed hit pledge of erecting the lighthouse, I beg to state for the information of the public, that the lighthouse has been, erected since the 2nd of April last, and baa been found to answer very well. It was erected under the superintendence of Mr. Roberts, civil engineer, and Messrs. Mills and Johnson. I hate the boaor to be, Sir, y Yours obediently, * ■ truth;

Cost of Flour I per sack, per stone. 3s. Is, 9d. 40s. 2s. 455. 2s. 3d. 5Gs. 2s. 6d. * ■' '55a. 2s. Od.. 60s. 3s. Cost of Bread per 41b loaf. 4 l-sd. 4 4-sd; " 6 2-sd. 6d T l-sd/ M ( larket price of Grain per qr. 475. 525. 60s. 675. - 725..,. - , 805.'," '