HOUSEWIVES BONUS SCHEME.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20115, 1 July 1914, Page 3

HOUSEWIVES BONUS SCHEME.

(To the Editor.?

Sir, —Mrs Smith at the house-wires' union meeting stated tliat in a turnover of £52,000.000 by co-operative stores in England. £15,000.000 was returned to purchasers. This is equal to thirty per cent., .and :as few businesses can be worked under from 12£ to 15 per cent, for working expenses, and say 5 per cent, for depreciation and interest on capital, it means that about 50 per cent, of the turnover goes out in expenses and bonus returned to customers. To do this tbe cost of goods hag to be at least doubled to attain the selling price. I am sure that there are no stores in Wanganui retailing goods for consumption that can average 20 per cent, profit. There are few businesses in New Zealand with the present high rate of wages paid, and short hoius, that pay 8 per cent, or event o per cent, on the capital invested. It is well known that once co-operative stores have a firm hold in English towns it spells nigh, prices. It must be high prices to enable the large refund of 30 per cent, on purchases—the more the custom?'* yAiys the bigger the bonus. TTJ<-; Works well with the general •run of women folk. There is a large tea /inn in Lancashire who make a fortune on this bonus J?y.s~, tern ; purchasers of fe-a $rot a emp'on with every quarter-pound nr tea. These coupons saved ercfiUo -tho purcliasor Jo a trip to some holiday resort in special -trails .t, ranged by the tea firm. The ten is retailed at 2s. 4d. per pound and costs the firm 6d. per pound. The silly purchasers think they get the trip for nothing. Tire bonus (to purchasers) is synonymous to the tea-ooupon-excur-sion.—l am, etc., " POOH."