AUCKLAND GROCERS' ASSOCIATION IN DEFENCE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 362, 24 April 1889, Page 4

AUCKLAND GROCERS' ASSOCIATION IN DEFENCE.

Auckland, April 16. A meeting of the Auckland Grocers' Association was held in the Lecture Hall of the V.M.C.A. Building last evening, to consider the action of certain Pukekohe farmers in boycotting the Association. There were about twenty members present, and Mr W. S. Whitley occupied the chair. The Chairman said he did not consider the meeting a representative one, and expressed regret that there was not a larger attendance. He said that the meeting had been called to refute the misstatements of Messrs Chad wick and Co., of Pukekohe, re produce — to refute veiy grave charges that had been made against the Grocers' Association. He hoped every one of the members present would stick to the point and endeavour to see where the fault was. It was a difficult matter to fix the price of produce, but the distributers knew best what it was worth. It had been stated at Pukekohe that the giocers were making 100 per cent, on butter, but he was not aware that ' any such price had been charged. On the contrary, a fair price had been given for produce. For eggs a little more might have been given, but it was extremely difficult to fix a fair price because their value fluctuated so much. He invited other members to speak impartially on the subject. Mr H. Hewin, ex-President of the Association, moved, "That this Association emphatically denies the truth of statements ? made at a meeting of settlers at Pukekohe on Wednesday, the 10th inst., that we have been paying 7d and 8d per lb for butter, and gettiug Is and Is 3d for it ; and for eggs we had been getting 2s to 2s 6d per doz.,andpayingforthesame fromlsto Is3d." He thought there was not one present who did not know that these assertions were totally false. The grocers were getting Is per lb for butter for which they gave lOd and lid when they paid 9d. The highest price obtained tor eggs was Is 9d per dozen, and the grocers gave Is 6d for them, some even selling at Is 6d in the following week. He then quoted the letters written by Mr Chad wick, and asked if it was true that 2s and 2s 6d had been charged for eggs in Auckland while only Is 9d per dozen was paid for them. He had hear*! that this was dons, but it was not by a member of the Association. Mr Hewin also stated that i"5 had been hinted that he kept down the prices because he was a public contractor, and expressed his willingness to retiie from office. He wished that the grocers could get 2d per lb on butter and 2d per dozen on eggs the year round, and they would be much better off than they were. Mr H. P. Gibbons stated that he made a loss on butter during the month of March. He had heard of one grocer selling 2s 6d per dozen for egys, and he hoped the farmei who had supplied the eggs had received a comparatively good price. He had much pleasure in seconding the resolution. Mr AVhitehead said that in the past he had known Mr ChaJwick on very favourable terms as a business man in Auckland, .and he was never so taken aback as when he saw the resolution carried at a Pukekohe meeting declining to supply produce to the Grocers' Association upon any terms. Frequent reference had been made about middlemen's profits, but under existing circumstances the farmer had to have a distributer, for if the farmer attempted to be his own distributer he found that his time was too valuable. Mr Chadwick was a storekeeper at Pukekohe, and he did business by selling goods and taking butter in exchange, and he had to get a profit. The Association were nob self-elected, for they represented 50 grocers who subscribed to the Association and were bound by it. Last year they put up the eggs 5d per dozen, and when they fell this week he lost sd, but that was not taken into consideration by their detractors. Whenever eggs were raised to Is 9d per dozen the sale stopped immediately. They were never worth Is 9d per dozen, and the people here were not so illiterate as to suppose eggs were ever worth 2^d each to the consumer. The Grocers' Association were not compelled to give for eggs what could be obtained in Sydney for them. The same thing applied to butter, bub experience proved that Sydney quotations were very misleading. He had said to farmers that the Association would only be too giad to have a few of their number attend the Committee meetings. He further maintained that if the price of eggs be Is wholesale and Is 3d retail, when they are worth 2s wholesale they are worth 2s 6d letail or more, because of the increased outlay of capital and in creased risk of loss from breakage. He had much pleasure in supporting the resolution. The Chairman said that he had paid lOd per lb for 2001b butter from Whangarei on Saturday, and he would challenge anyone to show that he would not lose 2d per lb on it. He did a large business in butter, and he saw present Mr Scott, who frequently got butter from him. Mr Scott, however, was like everybody else, when he could get it cheaper he went somewhere else. Mr Scott said that he went to Mr Whitley's place for butter, and was asked lOd per lb, so he walked out of the shop, and got good butter for 8d per lb. Ihe Chairman said that this was sufficient proof that he was endeavouring to get the beat prices for the farmers and to abide by the prices fixed by the Association. Mr Scott said that he did not make 2d per lb on butter and 2d per dozen on eggs all the year round. Mr Jones said that he did not approve of the resolution passed at Pukekohe, but he believed that the reason why the farmers would not send a deputation to the Association was because they did not believe they would be well treated. He knew one farmer who was owed a sum of money by his grocer, and was unable to collect it. He urged payment on the ground that he wished to pay an account on a certain date. The grocer said, " Oh, I'll pay that for you," but the day passed and the account was not paid. Again the farmer asked for payment, on the ground thab he wanted some chairs. " Oh," said the grocer, "I can buy chairs cheaper than you ; I'll buy them and send them up to you." The chairs were sent, bub bhey were almost useless. It was in this manner thab farmers were unfairly treated. The Chairman said thab if the farmer was nob well breated he should have taken his produce somewhere else. Mr Tones also expressed the opinion that the prices paid by the Association were not fair compared to Sydney prices. Several members quoted bheir experience in sending buoter to Sydney, almost invariably at a loss of 4d and 5d per pound. Mr Home thought thab the 2s 6d per dozen quoted for eggs might have been for a lot supplied for the mail steamer, but thab thiß would not rule the market. He did not think thab the Grocers' Association had taken undue advantage of the farmers in any way. Mr Schischka said he was the conbractor or supplying eggs to the mail steamer. When she came in la3b bime she wanbed -double the usual quantity, and he could nob .supply them. The result was that the

steward of tho sfceamer drove round to grocers in a cab, and paid whatever was asked. That was probably the instance in which 2s 6d per dozen was given. Mr Elliott characterised the charges made by the Pukekohe farmers as unfounded and unjust. He thought it would be well to dissolve the Association, and let the principle of supply and demand regulate itself. Mr Whitohead thought it would be a great mistake to dissolve the Association, and he would see all the farmers to Jericho first. It had a far more important future than ascertaining the price of produce. He also quoted two instances in which he had quarrelled with farmeis through sticking to the Association quotations. Mr Hew suggested the advisability of giving representatives from the farmers a say in the matter of fixing prices. The farmers probably would like a voice in the appointment of representatives and that they would select as representatives grocers who had an export trade. The Chairman said the Association rules would not admit farmers, but there was no objection against communications passing between the Association and farmers. The resolution was put and carried unanimously. Mr Hewin proposed " That this meeting hereby accords a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Morgan for his action in proposing as an amendment (at the Pukekohe meeting) • That a deputation should wait upon the Association with a view to a better understanding being arrived at,' and that we should be glad to see Mr Morgan as a representative of the farmers upon the Com raittee of the Association." This resolution was seconded by Mr Whitehead. Mr Home thought that the farmers should choose their own representative. Mr Rew suggested that the meeting should be adjourned co enable the farmer.to attend. Mr Gibbons moved, as an amendment, "That each farmers' district appoint its own representative," but this was not seconded. The resolution was carried. Proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the press for their attendance.