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to deal with complaints when they hate the latter form, which is bothersome. In this instance, we are said to have made an unreasonable charge for Rick's thermometers, which they could have got 14½% cheaper if they had been dealing direct to the manufacturers. The vendor, Hicks Wathon & Co., wrote to us for an explanation.
He has now sent "The list price of these thermometers is 60/- a day, and I look you off 20%. What is more, we allow 2/2 % for cart on small quantities (under 6 pots) besides." If you can prove that, in any instance, Hicks has allowed better terms on a similar order, we shall be much obliged as it is important for us to hold manufacturers to the terms granted to wholesale customers.
In justification of our statement that the Apothecaries' Society's prices are on a par with others, it were found hardly necessary to say that quality is everything. And, allowing for quality and the extra work of making up Hong Kong orders into small quantities, it has yet to be proved that the prices are high. Letters from certain firms to pick quotations often come down to any figure you like. Lest we should, with a first order or two at a normal figure, secure the business, had the fault remained that the quality of the Apothecaries' Society's drugs was above suspicion and that, in a couple of instances,