H. -IS

CXV

SUMMABY OF EVIDENCE.

SECTION I.—FOOD AND GROCERIES. A. Bread : Master bakers ; union secretary. B. Butter : Dairy-produce merchants ; butter-manufacturers. C. Fish : Fish-merchants ; fish-auctioneers ; fishmongers ; fish-curers and hawkers ; fishermen ; Secretary Marine Department; Wellington City Council (fish destroyed) ; imported salted, fish, duty. D. Flour : Flour-millers. E. Fruit : Fruit-auctioneers ; fruiterers ; Assistant Director, Orchards ; market-gardener. F. Meat : Stock-auctioneers ; meat-company representatives ; master butchers ; stock-dealer ; Director, Live-stock Division. G. Milk : Dairymen. 11. Groceries: Merchants (re cocoa and biscuits); merchants' associations (re scaled, goods); wholesale merchant; New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association; general grocers; Master Grocers' Association. I. Soap and Candles : Manufacturers. j. Food generally : Dr. Frengley (re Sale of Foods Act) ; regulations re adulteration, short weights, &c. A. Bread. Kent, Arch., Master Baker, Auckland (26/6/12 ; p. 323)— Be method of fixing bread-prices—Average delivery by carters— Be Co-operative Association reducing breadprices—Object of association—Prices, cash and delivered, the same. ELellow, \V. A., Master Baker, Wellington (4/7/12 ; p. 405)— Re retail prices of bread, 1893 to 1912—Prices not regulated, by association of bakers— Be Australian, Canadian and New Zealand flour—Cost of delivery estimated l|d. per loaf—Little loss by bad debts. Williams, F., Master Baker, Christchurch (17/6/12 ; p. 177)— Be carters deliver on average 120 to 140 loaves a day—Cost of delivery has increased—Prices of bread increased due to increased cost of everything excepting flour—Broad delivered at (i|d. and 6d., and for cash over counter sd. per 4 lb. loaf — Be masters' association—Prices not fixed—Weight of dough 2 lb. 3 oz. for small loaf and double for large—Municipal bakery with well organized delivery would cheapen bread— Be Flourmillers' Association and boycotting—Flour-supplies stopped for twelve months—Flour got from abroad. Munro, J. W., Master Baker, Dunedin (7/6/12 ; p. 50)— Be price of bread regulated by association—Association uon-effective at present—Cost of distribution Jd. more than manufacturing cost—Cost of establishing municipal bakery Dunedin, £40,000—Would cheapen cos t —Wages increased to bakers ss. last ten years—Millers' Trust ineffective. Wilson, J. S., Secretary Bakers' Union, Christchurch (14/6/12 ; p. 141) — Re wages and general conditions of bakers—Men more efficient— Be weights of dough before baking— Be labour cost of producing bread £d. to fd. a loaf— Be delivery—Number of loaves handled by a carter— Wages of £2 ss. too low to ensure decent living—Rent principal increase— Be masters' association. B. Butter. McGowan, D. J., Dairy and Produce Merchant, Auckland (21/6/12 ; p. 248) — Be dairy-produce increased 15 per cent, in ten years—Quantities exported from Auckland—Local competition with butter keen—Average wholesale prices London and Auckland—Range of retail prices— Be increased cost of making butter —Factors are increased land-values, rent, rates, taxes, and labour— Be winter storage Labour cost of production of butter—lf labour doubled would not make any appreciable difference in price of butter. Hill, H. G-., Dairy-produce Merchant, Wellington (4/7/12 ; p. 400)— Be prices paid for butter (wholesale), Ist April, 1911, to 30th June, 1912—Local market competitive—Quantity exported and consumed locally—Loss on butter business—English prices—Favour abolition duty on Australian butter—Causes for high prices of butter —Prices not fixed by merchants—Glen Oroua contract prices not included in main return— Be other goods handled, bacon, biscuits, &c.—Butter-supply to grocers not restricted. Agar, C. P., Secretary Taitapu Dairy Company, Christchurch (12/6/12 ; p. 99) — !1k factory co-operative concern among farmers—Wages do not affect butter-prices—Supplies local trade mainly—Surplus, if any, sent Home—Butter-fat prices and retail prices of butter—Butter last winter retailed at Is. 6d.—No combine—Competition rife—Farmers butter IJd. to 2d. per pound less—Factory butter costs |d. per pound to put up in pats— Be storing butter and keeping-qualities—Rise in price of butter-fat due to increased land-values—lncreased cost of running factories due to better methods employed—Pasteurization, &c. Beissel, A. E., Manager Dairy Supply Company, Dunedin (6/6/12 ; p. 24) — Be T. and P. Farmers' Co-operative Society—2,ooo members wholesale and retail milk and butter suppliers— Prices of butter—Highest and lowest—Prices of milk—Summer and winter—Competition keen—Butter—fat prices—Cheese—Outside markets—Stored butter.