PRICE OF BREAD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 230, 8 March 1915, Page 6

PRICE OF BREAD.

is Tiii: i::> .ir--TiF!!:;;. | i;:;vii:\v w thk rcsrriox. lV\v days a«ro the prico of tin _>!!> Ir;;r of bread became •"><!. When we .Mil' ali recall the time when ihe price «'u- ; : :;iy l*:« 11* what it is to-day, remarked' ;« heal biwha.-s man on Wednesday t<i j '• ' ! some i>: will he iraimd; tli'' procure that is beint* i " ii •!'••• more needy in New XeiYv.d, aed. Ili" emml neece-sity that • I-.] for !!:•• anlhor'iies <o take every ; ," : .'.iti(iii to prevent anything in :ha v,",' of exploitation. The rise of the Jl.'j )\ ai to 5d in V\Yilim:ton, it was pointi'• out, has taken place nwinij to tho ■ of Hour to Cl 7 and £l7 per lon in Wellington. That, sail {■ a ;s man in question. on the 'V.-»«f it. seems <;u:ie rational. Yu, vail-d thr price of bread is beinti r iiii-l,n-"d I)v Ihe latent and highest price of iVnr, I iiei'c are bakers in Wellington ;;ml throughout New Zealand who •ir-' ?fill working on eoniract llonr purchased a l . per ton undo** tha f.rin' now ->htainiie:. and such bakers, receiving >d v, ; / loaf. lmwt. he reaping a golden ha.'VI ,-t. Then the < luvnimmt lias imports «"•nsiderahle y * of 'vheat from '',:ii:>da. This wheat was at (is .'M am} has b .n sold to the millers at OS i):l per bu.Jiel —a to the Stat':. people- (if <ii) I'll' bushel. in view of 'J-.-.- ahovo ■ tatem.ea's inquiry \v:i ; mad- 4 '• -derdav to whether tit 1 Yrie.at ''i;d ''ioiir ('o;,vniil«'e wa--- -tipuktthai r.iller.; purchasimr t '"V; maieal whe.i shc.nid sell the flour at a «nwn priea, It was ascertained thai that va- Die origin.tl idea. and it wa • worked mil that villi \vh at at. Y- !ld : or bu-dn.d. i.iilh 1 :*- c; i: T d ----I t'our at 'J ?-? '<>s ] t"*v ion an! make a fair profit. .V ..'nrdrn;: t'> tim eha---- ■ smn (Mr U. r this va-: found I" 1 !' no! alva.v:'. ?>ra<''a •:l.h\ ;• > ili" niiih-r-.

i-' v to turn the {lor:- !c!. it:.'i fi■ it*;: 1 if ncrs<:irv <i> mix th<* ( i: ieliu:i with »];o Wv X'amid wheat in ii;-"-Ti.rrriN vsirvii'C:* a- fn»tti Two-;.hii\N • «>!>«>-{iiij-ri New n ' ovi n h.\'f-:»:i«T»■". .'ii'l Nr'v v!;-: 1.! wa . v»»p. -hVrpiily l:i;:i:ey in 'Tiee than ( ni'-'tlinu. 1 i:»-y Ihiil ihe ilcin* (->n]il not br i nrn <1 cut at t'v nri'Jiiallv fixe:', b x : th" rni:i!ni(li s f\ T!«'• i'»rV ■ of Hour v,i< fi\c-[ at CI 1 '•n 1 hi' lh:> I tlu» •! vhi.-ii it '.Vf-nr:-! would f"i-T Ui.' miller ~)A -j-.- r Vairhel. !»'it v/h "> i: became nm'-siry tu ui'v iiiis whe.M wiih :•» equal oinmtiiv of -M-'.v Zealand wheat the nrli r w;i > L'ive" tc- rai" the price "of his 1'- ur in Moiv rtif.ii to the average priiv i-i {he v.'lu'iit that Im* n>od in making Th.' <■ a 1 <'iio to which the fMinni'Hre h.t.i •i?i«-iri from tl<,' millers that worn (Jovcrmneiit imported wheat ihut flv VvUo <,f flour would lie regulated a* fair--1 y r *. bv (he cost of the \vhe:it. <(vrtfiin tlit- \»rmtinn Iv-hvee,. the '!' H : s ]icr top., f.0.1i., H\- <»! ior llour Ik* iho coiniuiitiv, ;tn<i lb--price rnlinjr to-day. a leading |i-,-p) <,f flour merchants was consulted h* to yesterday's price for flour. The .tn-\vr

v.-sis :-nniwhat di'.innaticak '*T don't liiink we can «ret any. Imt if we cou'd I In* price would he €l7 f.o.b. in tl-o aouth."

Tin- Government Statistician (Mr Ma".cobn lias on record, the prie l 1 hat bakers in Wellington have hee.i rayinir for flour for some time 7'a^t.

Durinsr the first fortnijilit last month on,, ba'ccr received a cnnsigmie'iit. of contract flour at CO lils'f.o.b.. and also purchased sonic at Cl.'i Ills. In Cliii-t----chnrch there wi re sales at .CIS Ids. ,Iclivcreil to any part of the city or suburbs. ami others in Christchurch l>nu;:ht lit. £ls 10s less |icr cent and 21 per cent. A Timani miller sold its lin'eh/M !C! tons at €l4 ]os, and another !>2 tons ;it L l l:> 4s. One line of tons vr;H sold by a Timani mill at .CIS liis. Tins--[.rices fro to jirove that there are fairly lar.Cc stocks which have been purchase,l at a juice under the ruling one. hut all bread is being charged for to-ilay as though CI7 10s or CIS hail been paM for the Hour, which must be highly ivlmincrative to tliose who bought a month ago, anil correspondingly unfortunate for for the public. The following is the bread barometer covering over a year past:-

21b. loaf. .Tanuary to August, 1014 :U Septcmbi r to Xovembcr, 1014 4 December, 1014 4! March, 1015 ,j THE BAKEI'iS' VIEWPOINT. "i.UCKV TO CICT BREAD SOOX." A few ob-crvations on the state of all'airs wore made to a Dominion reporter by MY \V. A. Kcllow. manaj:in;j director of the Xew Zealand Automatic Bakeries. Ltd. Mr. Kcllow fays, in cll'cct. that the bakers an' makiii" no added profits out of tile present price of bread.

Mr Kcllow referred first of all to a statement (hat bakers were now making bread in Wellington from Hour purchased at much below the current markit rates. "That state of things does 11 ")t obtain in said Mr Kellow. ' ! think ours was the only Wellington (Inn that had contracts of any size witii millers, but our contracts ran out months a.'.'o. Our contracts were at the rate of Uio per ton f.0.b.. which means C'O per to n ill our store. Just before the VfT we tried to pla<- bi.tr contracts at this price, but we muld not a mill-r <>■ them. The pries you hav*ji:r.• t*■ 11 there arc ;;11 too low, \ think. 1 -nrt' you that we have |>ai(] CIS a I'.n (lour that nv have had to buy. and :!"•?) we had tin- ,L r rcatc-;t difficult v in

supplier. \\'t> CM«u 1,1 jini procure '■■ Ay flour in the regular way from mil-!--i and we had 'ut buy it' from ni"i'ci'iii)ts cr anybody r!-e who had it. Xnw \.v haw to luud a dnpimni id' Anier;'';n flour -uv are landimr 200 tons roi'ay -whi'-h v.-i 11 rany us on now. We 7 thi> Hour si• *)i'■ (hri'c months a'_ r ". '! In- juice was l:i'.dn r then Hum the [>!'••- :i-!)7 ]>rt\niliiiu vatis hejv. hut I emiM •how thini's wi-re ■yoinv. and 1 o- 1 - in-vt d Iliat- it was iwrcs-ary for us in import. We h;p'e paid CIS 10> for muiic •i'..'ir >in<r Hi n.

• !-; our of :-r] for {l;r 21!) -f i III! rl ? \\vn. I I'now tli;it w ;iiv not Po-,v ninkin;: ;is tmn-h |»r*»fit :it tii:H prhv w«T" making vlii- n we sold f}u- :!!!) When i]-»iir '-n-t ih ',lO }'2< j"• r !-'m w<' r-o|f_l I;i - ;rfl ;i{ -'l'd. T|,r p'lrc o! to-day ; >n ni not Ih» h><-* 11;n i ;'. 7 • -.o.l). v.liii-'i i,ii■,ill'.'ls J-; i 1) . .. iiiranf tlnd ilii> <ms-1 of Hi. 1 !!- 1 up C 7 I"< |»«-r ton. I'd 'I ' ' ''''lit.. i In- p! i-.T of 1 >i i all h;w i -d I'rniJi -'l'd («i ."<l. or about !<» ;»<■:* fn tile SJllllc t ! 11H' llUl'St* l<'('d. 'I I ML' - "l t« i M of I'Vjv I|.,' in o)M- ---• n oiv Jnan .1 iii |iri.-«'. and a! o ■ *' ' U dt\i )V)\ ' ' Vol i!< l -In.lllil 1"' IVMliild' :1 IV 1 ' lll.'j.y (|» nc! InVad -,' i :m|. ■■■ins'!. ' • V' J|fi\v 111':! f *}>rv ' '• .1 jo ;_r,> v.'iMn.iU a lii i V ■ '■ \ !. \7 11: 1 '' ■ ■ ML!'' '• Vl' \V,Y • "'I v .'ill-! no: l;r aid' 1 in !;ir|i '' a i;i I r. 1) :i.I; v.,- v'! 1 ';. l ve Ih'j n ;!])]'• (>; do -.I T>;11 i 1 ■ Oi |lr-. fVnr [Vein in. ri:-:T. bivad ?,!:«•.• i ; j] , j,.;i n r. h>v nil In' A!li<- t-;in i'uit,' ihi' iMrdanidV- • «• 1! m• - Miijdir-;. -'d (Nsir.-;-. I -,v (Vil it >v';l! . ■ • : .. io i; . J , i_.ii.• ; ■ t,•;i : : , V m:::.- 1 <i 1, ; .. \\ 'jil- v ,. ;!r ,. ' ' :v;.rl!r:i 1m Mil! : ■ ;< II V I >;i l'j- (if Oil!' or flour. {lll' VlililiLf I. VMU--I Jll\v;iv ; hi !'ti I !;i i r: i }\y t !l<> jit ,• of fiii- iii;ir!;rf m [,i.ndon. ]ii tlio tiinr T tliink M jn'njile lian> liotliinpr iiboui which they c-an complain. I understand that bread lias

fie: !i .Tin!:;;- a.( a Myh":* j rlee in ia h"i' "'ties than in \\ } v An ka;:d hi'. • l;eev : d'iag at, of IV,. :! hUh- ! A . :ay r.'U'-, it. \ ' v i 1 e:a ! - in: h projils wi' ' i >- i' i at i I : : a: i v. •• ware with [ire:; : -' ; d, 'I li!'- h;'hl::g trade is -a 'a:e is nm'iia'; on a \vr: >.aa < ; | Ji I U'IVVI" 4 vw !::; r-;;i S:':tat: (.IiVX-iNVi'VV'r IMiiiK'iV'. 'a :e i . one !i<:• i;,. ; ha! ■- aa-v r -1! i:*•:*• i'nt tv i mpha -1 ■.s• ; l in this e 1 y." :-'>ld tin l I'rlme '.'din! a-a'. "Tiic is lhat but fur the i!iilions of wheat and flour by the (lovera M"ut wo should undoubtedly have been without Hour for a few w<vks prior I) Ihe new coining in. Timi; fad has never been fully appreciated. As '-■;r the increased price >\f wheat, ir is danot to 1h" war alone. The war has aa-

douhtedly had the oli'eei, of inciva-dng 'h:prire of wheat all ovrr the world, but ihe high ]U''ee b.ere i- due to the uaforiunat • fact that, ve havi- had «rufavorable botli i?i Australia and Xew Zeahuid. in of wh;:-;i N"e\v Zealand has not f<T two -er'.s;ms. and Austraba for on( i . urodu'-od <Miruv, f ii wheat for 1.-.cal re'iu'rmnontis. who reads ih.e ))ricc-l'.sV; in onr newswill ■ ee that i:i n}} {lie St:>(es of th" ('raumonwesUh. v 'U'h the eseeatbm of Xew Noi'.ih Wales, f .-■d-{ u!Vs. and V-*il!\* wh"at ar.d av -f I'd'.di'v ;>ric--«j than i:; W.v /'e-J : md. Viiorht and Tasmania !•;>-<• foll.twcd ir" examph 1 of Xew /a'aba/', and ;:''e n.'W iniT'Orting v.dicat f/ora the Ar'_ r: ':if:iu\ but a very much v. v hav had to pay for on.* imported wheat up i ill !he present. •'•The ii'dicatio! I'U'd a. \i'W much lar:r-' a.re;v th:in n- : uad will he laid dev. Ed lime. \.e eca ee.;v mi>t!!!'' fhe 'd ! , n-fnaah If '-i d'-es. a;: itii;;' i: i- as m ■ Spe *1 V) lie i v. I'd e. a-e to cxisr. nnr i:; Tin 1 sec i-> Avhole jiosition. If (air settlors :>re only gi'-':-,l Silllh-iei. I '. lTldUf' me'lt tn l!m area under ero'a, i::»*v • wia n. lio fur!her triad) 1 ..-" ■ V.v 'Ma-'--: v ad- o r;a«' ; . ih" following I't'eenl repoar the For.d Com-ini-".s:on on Hie pi'iee e.!'l,r: ad. 1!; refer ; espeiialiy tt> Auehhind, but it a.p.piie,-, tanrndlv to AVel'inM'.i.r;: -- "The maee pew lie'a'.; geivrally eh ed by h'ikea.; in for ilie 2ib 1.-af dmi<-er-:l ">*h Vr.:wi the rvidenee ii anpeais that th<» j>rese?it price ehnrg »d far Hour bv the local mils CI'! M'. 'idie price for ilour from tiie southern mills is also Cili l!)s, wfiich, v*;th tr.?es-t-ortation and other charges, is equivalent to -017 His, approximated;/, dt Aueklaiul. The loeal mills are able io supply onlv about half of the local demand. ami cnnsei|uently Auckland bakers are obliged to obtain about half their requirements from the southern mills t; the higher price abovo-'vrmrd. The ava erage cost of Hour, t 1 ' lo locaT bakers is about Cl 7 jjer [oji. Wifh. ileur testing this amount the (VmnV-don a.r-> of opinion tlait, having regard to the increased cost of delivery owing to the high price of horse fed, the price of od for ihe 2lh loaf delivered to the customer leaves the baker only a, moderate margin of ur.dit, and cannot, therefore be aard'd as ai: exclusive price."