We like to read the reports concerning food prices, chiefly for the purpose of checking the unscrupulous Wong, who does our marketing. Yesterday he meandered in with the day's buying, and announced all round rises in prices. We read the following to him from a local contemporary:—
A report from the Council also stated that provision store prices on fresh foodstuffs as well as canned goods, although higher now than in the early part of August have remained steady during October, and a general tendency towards decline has been noticed.
In the fresh meats category, prices have dropped since September, although rump steak kas remained at its former high level. The increase in all prices in comparison with the August lists is still great, but there appears to be no discernable shortage, Downward trends are also noted in the prices of ham, sausage and eggs, while a slighter decline in cost is shown with regard to veal and fowl. Pork, in common with sausage, has also gone down as compared to September prices, but the increase above normal is still high.
Wong stood and listened and then sniffed.
'Yeah! ehliting moh cheap. Monday, potatoes fi' cents one boun'; to-day belong seben, Eggus befor time forty cents, now belong fittee. Ebliting belong moh cheap, eh? I tink so moh bettah you get Kungpoo go foh market foh youl And that really does seem to be the answer, Will the Council please depute one of its members to do our marketing for us at these lower prices?
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.