PRICE OF BREAD.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 September 1922, Page 5

PRICE OF BREAD.

QUESTION OF FIXING COST. SERIOUS CHARGES MADE. By Telegraph Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The price of bread was the subject of several questions in the House to-day. In reply to Mr. E. Dixon (Pateaj, Mr. Massey gave an emphatic denial to a statement that he had ordered the Board of Trade to fix a minimum price of bread, below which bread could not be sold. The Board of Trade has frequently fixed a maximum price of bread, but never a minimum price. He did not know whether the chairman of the Board of Trade was on the eve of resigning with a view to taking up the position of manager of the Flourmillers’ Association. He had heard nothing of it, but Mr. McDonald was free to resign if he wished to do so. The Hon. E. P. Lee confirmed the Premier’s statement that the Board of Trade never fixed a minimum price of bread Arising out of the above question regarding the price of bread, Mr. H. E. Holland (Buller) asked the Hon. E. P. Lee whether the Board had made inquiries into a case of alleged conspiracy against a baker at. Feilding who was selling bread at less than the maximum price. Mr. Lee replied that the Board had made inquiry and came to the conclusion there was no evidence of a conspiracy to warrant interference in the above case. In reply to the Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Mr. Lee said he would, in the interests of the persons in Feilding concerned and of the public, have a full inquiry made into the whole of the circumstances surrounding the alleged conspiracy to regulate the price of bread in that town. Replying to Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton), Mr. Lee said he would inquire into an allegation that when the maximum price of of flour was fixed at £lB per ton the chairman of the Board of Trade had prevented it being sold at £16,. and insisted on a higher price being paid.