ORIGIN CORRESPONDENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 557, 13 February 1878, Page 2

ORIGIN CORRESPONDENCE.

[Wo are not responsible for the opinions expreosed by <uii eorrespomlents.] THE PRICE OF BREAD. TO TUB EDITOIt OF TUK EVKNINU MAIL. Sir, —As a subscriber to your valuable paper I beg to ask if you would bo kind enough to give publicity to these few lines. There are some things that it is not good for us to know, but what I think we all ought to know is this : —Tho bakers in Oamaru are charging 9d. for the 41b. loaf, and Hour is selling from Ll3 to Ll4 per ton. Flour can be sent from here to Dunedin and the Northern provinces, and the bakers in those places can sell the 41b. loaf at 7d. There must be something materi illy wrong somewhere. When the flour was at the same price not twelve months ago, they were selling the 411). loaf for (id., and we were getting better bread. The bakers here some time ago excused themselves on account of tho dearness of fuel; but now they ca-1 get firewood cheaper here than in Dunedin. Besides, they are always crying out ab ft. bad debts ; now I. ask, is it fair that tht>\ sons of toil that are honest enough to pay their debts should bo called upon to pay an extra price for their goods for the sake of defaulters I or have tho bakers formed a Tammany ring to extort money from the community to swell their pockets. For every ton of flour that is made into bread by the bakers at prosent they have about 1.55. per bag clear profit ! Now, tho bakers will tell you that wages are good, and you can afford to pay 9d. Is this fair 1 We all knowthat labor is fluctuating, and a working man with a family lias got to provide for his bairns. Now it behoves all men when in employment to be economic, to provide for tho stall"of life when idle, I cannot see the cauHo why we ought to pay so exorbitant a price for bread on account of bad debts that they cry so much about. I would never object paying a fair price for a fair article ; but I strongly objeot paying for an article far abovo its value.- I am, &c, A Working Man.