SPADES AND POSTS

Opotiki News, Volume X, Issue 1052, 5 December 1947, Page 2

SPADES AND POSTS

UPWARD PRICE TREND OLD TRADER’S QUERY “I would like to ask the directors if they have any idea when the present inflationary prices are going to cease,” stated Mr. Francis Stafford at the annual meeting of the Gisborne Sheepfarmers’ Frozen Meat and Mercantile Company, Ltd. His query was side-stepped by (he chairman of directors, Mr. H. B. Williams, and Mr. Stafford stated that in explanation of his question that before he gave up a hardware business to go farming he had sold spades at 5/6 ea,. and Hawke’s Bay totara posts for £5/10/- per 100. Ho now had a bill of 33/6 for a spade, and totara posts were now £35 per 100. 110 did not know what could be done about it, but he hoped the directors might be able to make some representations on the matter.

Mr. R. E. Cambrill stated that tlie Price Tribunal fixed the prices of goods to-day. For himself, he hoped that in the next 40 years the price of spades would not continue their upward trend; otherwise they would be paying £lO for a spade. “The directors will do what they can to keep prices down, but I am afraid that the matter is out of our hands,” commented the chairman.