Correspondence.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5022, 16 February 1885, Page 2

Correspondence.

THK BREAD QUESTION. (To the Editor of the EVBNIK& STAB.)

Sib,—l am very sorry to trouble you with any more letters on the above subjeot ( but as all the random shafts which are being fired are aimed at my deroted head, I trust you will forgive me. My old friend, "Fair Trade," after hibernating for about a fortnight, has, like a bottle of ginger -beer "well up," again exploded. I really feel sorry that he should hare wasted so much time in composing a letter * which contains next to nothing of praotical utility. He admits, that a great part of my letter was unanswerable, but the first part of " Fair Trade's " last effusion would puzzle a Philadelphian lawyer. Regarding the number of loaves a ton of flour will make, let me inform " Fair Trade " that the challenge I threw out to" Doughboy" (who was not man enough to take it up) is still open. I ant prepared to giro £5 to the Ladies Benevolent Society if " Fair Trade" can get a baker to do what I asked, even a London baker would not do it, although we are led to believe they are such exceedingly clerer fellows. " Fair Trade " says there was no absurdity about the Home contract at 3|d per 4 lb loaf, but. there is a - deal of inconsistency about .-.". Fair Trade." In his first letter he said the I aTerage price of flour here is £10 per ton, but that in England it was £4 per \ ton more, thus making it £14 per ton; now ia his last letter " Fair Trade!" in order to show there was no absurdity in the price of bread at Home, quotes flour iv England at from £8 10s to £9 per ton; therefore, flour at Home has suddenly dropped £5 per ton, according to his statements. " Fair Trade " must cither be in the grocery line, ot else is wilfully ignorant of the large profits in the grocery business; and if he is the head of a family, he must know that the amount a housekeeper expends weekly in groceries is about four time,* what is spent in bread. "F.T." would l«?*d us to believe that grocers only only sell " mustard, spice, and pills." How about tea?—on which there is usually 30 per cent, profit, and there are many other tL things on which grocers make excellent fl^profits, as I can prore, by having bought groceries wholesale. One word more:

if carpenters and other mechaoici only get one week's work in- four, let me tell " lair Trade" that in manj instances on thto field at the present time the bakers supply them with bread the other three, and get rery little money in return. As " Fair Trade" has agreed to close this discussion, so will I. I think, Mr Editor, that in all my letters I hare been consistent, and I believe that most unbiassed minds will agree with me, that although the bakers are making a fair proSt, considering the disadvantages under which they labour, it is best to let them alone.—l am, &c.. ' Pbactical. P. S.—l expect to see this letter torn to .; pieces by some of the promoters of the co-operative bakery, but I shall not writ* again on this subject.-?—P.