SALE OF BREAD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 January 1942, Page 3

SALE OF BREAD

POSITION IN MASTERTON RESELLERS & BAKERS. PRICE FIXED BY GOVERNMENT. Is the price of bread in Masterton to be increased? Following on the rearrangement of the delivery service, in order to save petrol, the resellers demanded a reduced wholesale price, otherwise they stated that they would no longer handle bread after Tuesday next. The. bakers state that they are unable to reduce the price, which is fixed by the Government. The bakers suggest that the Government should be approached with a view to obtaining the margin desired. The official reply of the Masterton Bakers’ Association to the petition presented by Masterton resellers, states that the representations were considered and the following resolution was passed unanimously:—

“That the bread re-sellers’ association be advised that in regard to the margin at present granted to re-sellers this margin is fixed by the Government, by regulation, at one halfpenny per 21b. loaf and that the bakers therefore are not in a position to grant a reduction in the wholesale price of bread to re-sellers unless authorised to do so by the Price Tribunal. “That the Masterton branch of the N.Z. Master Bakers’ Federation is, however, prepared to recommend to their Federation that every assistance be given to the bread re-sellers, through the N.Z. Master Grocers’ Federation, in any effort they may make in taking the matter up with the Government, with a view to obtaining a margin of one penny per 21b. loaf, to the re-seller. “That the Masterton Master Bakers’ Association regrets therefore that it cannot meet the request of the re-sell-ers for a reduction in the wholesale price of bread as petitioned for.”

SELLERS’ POSITION

ASSOCIATION STATEMENT.

The following statement is issued by the Masterton Bread Sellers’ Association relative to the sale of bread in Masterton:—

“We have unanimously passed a resolution that if the Bakers’ Association cannot help us in our difficulty we shall be reluctantly compelled to discontinue the resale of bread. This resolution comes into being on Tuesday. January 20, 1942, and applies to every depot and reseller of bread in Masterton. “Our resolution was not passed lightly. We all realise the inconvenience that will be caused to the public. It means that householders will have to call at the bakers for their bread, ,or the bakers could rent a few shops in the town and sell bread there. The cost would not be great on a combined basis, little more in fact than the extra Id that we are asking. Does the public realise the work entailed by the bread depots for the id they get at present? We have to read the public's thoughts to know what they want tomorrow, because the public does not order consistently. We also have to allow for customers’ extra visitors, cr perhaps a customer does not want his usual quantity of bread. Sometimes customers tell us, more often they do not. When this happens (and it happens every day) we have this bread left over. Sometimes we sell out in spite of this, but more often we have the bread left over. The bread inspector states that this waste bread problem must stop as the question is a national one. We are not going to work 10, 12 or 16 hours a day just for the fun of it. The bakers are saving on labour, vans, petrol, etc. They are getting cash, and they take no returns. What do we get? Nothing but extra work, extra staff, left-over bread, sometimes a chase to get our money,, all for a id a loaf. The proposition at present is not equitable to us.”