H.—44A

The gross margin in each case is the amount available to provide cost of manufacturing, delivery to shop, overhead expenses and profit, and retailers' margin. The Department is of the opinion that, while bakers are not in general securing any very high margin of profit, there is some room for reduction in the price charged to the public. It certainly appears that retailers, who in many cases have a margin of l|d. or ljd. per 4 lb. loaf, could trade on a sum of not more than Id. per 4 lb. loaf. As already mentioned, there appears also to be good ground for suggesting some adjustment as between the prices of bread sold for cash over counter and bread delivered to householders.

APPEN DIX.

Schedule A. —Showing Cost of Baking and Delivering Bread (per nominal 4lb. Loaf) in the Four Main Centres of the Dominion.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (900 copies), £8.

Authority : W. A. G. Skinner, Government Printer, Wellington.—l93l.

Price 6d.\

5

Bakehouse Costs. Delivery Costs. rJ .- — 7 1 8 J,, Average Profit Baker. Flour. n £ ® ! b 1 1 I TWri Sell j n g" P er Wages. | "3 g | Total. Wages. £ | Total. 25 m delivered. P nce - Loaf - ; H g „ Wellington. d. d. d. d. j d. I d. I d. d. d. d. d. A .. 5-888 1-169 0-821 7-878 I 0-950 0-304 j 1-254 1-014 10-146 10-945 0-799 B .. 6-830 1-130 0-636 8-596 1.128 0-506 j 1-634 0-936 11-166 11-040 0-126* G .. 6-400 1-498 0-866 8-764 1-294 0-872 2-166 0-602 11-532 11-080 0-452* Average 16-372 1-266 0-774 8-412 1-124 0-561 1-684 0-851 10-948 11-022 0-074 Auckland. D .. 5-790 1-262 0-818 7-870 1-110 0-648 1-758 1-754] 11-382 11-932 0-550 E .. 5-488 1-092 0-830 7-410 ! 1-086 0-514 1-600 1-680 10-690 [ 11-754 1-064 I ; I Average 5-639 1-177 0-824 7-640 1-098 0-581 1-679 1-717 11-036 j 11-843 0-807 ; | . . j . . Christchurch. F .. 5-320 0-990 0-970 7.280 1-070 | 0-740 1-810 1-480 ! 10-570 ! 11-000 0-430 G .. 6-190 : 0-910 0-732 7-832 | 1-358 0-380 1-738 1-762 11-332 11-720 0-388 H .. 5-222; 1-064 0-666 6-952 1-122 0-590 1-712 1-278 9-942 11-000 1-058 Average 5-577 ! 0-988 0-789 7-355 1-183 0-570 : 1-753 1-507 10-614 11-240 0-626 Dunedin. I .. 6-020 1-820 0-620 8-460 1-030 0-510 1-540 0-720 10-720 11-250 0-530 J -, 6-100 1-230 0-870 8-200 0-800 0-580 1-380 0-710 10-290 10-520 0-230 K .. 6-070 1-540 0-620 8-230 1-070 0-480 1-550 0-410 10-190 10-330 i 0-140 Average 6-063 1-530 0-703 8-297 0.967 0-523 1-490 0-613 10-400 10-700 | 0-300 * Loss.