WAR'S EFFECT

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 181, 31 July 1915, Page 9

WAR'S EFFECT

ON -WHAT WE WEAK. THE POSITION IN AUCKLAND. COMPARED WITH A YEAR AGO. SERIOUS SHORTAGE OF SUPPLIES. How. at the end of the first year's war. we find ourselves affected in the matter of thins:? we wear, was this mornjng the subject of an interesting review by a well-known Qitten Street business man. "There is good reason for feeling satisfied with the position at the end of a year's war.' , declared the gentleman, in question. "It so happens that most of the big houses in the city end their business year on July 31. anil we accordingly know to a day just where we stand at the end of twelve months tinder war conditions. For the fir>t eight months we certainly ielt the tisjhti'iiintr of the public purse-strings. Now, however, it j would be no exaggeration to say that we are getting very nearly back to normal. Rut taking the year as a wholt there is not the slightest doubt that w* have every reason to be satisfied, for the conditions have been ever so much better than any one would havp for a moment j expected. HOMEMADE DRESSES. "The effect of the war has iv many respects been curious. Some of our departments show greatly increased turnovers, others a falling off. Iα dress goods, for instance, and in the Manchester department, there i> an increase running into several thousands. In other departments, such as mantles, there is a marked falling off. The reason for this is that ladies mu.-t obviously be buying silks and piec* poods, and doing their own dressmaking. Then there is evidence of thrift iir the fact that ladies who usually spend ten guinea* on a fashionable frock are now satisfied to hiiy .1 serviceable costume for lour or five guineas. ""Also in the furnishing departments there has been a noticeable falling off in trade. This is due to the fact that building is at a standstill, and people are economising by not adding to or replacing home furnishings. PRICES IT 13 PER TEXT. "We have every reason to bo content with the operations of the past year." he added, "and our main concern in the future will he in regard to supplier. Prices already have gone up, on the average. 15 por cent. Values would have been higher still were it not for the. fact that many of the big houses carried considerable supplies. Tt is to the credit of the Auckland business people that no attempt has been made to profit on existing stocks, or to exploit the public. Kor instance, we had in stock very heavy supplies of one particular line— S.S.S. drill. When the war started this material went right up in price. We have all thp year been selling at the *ame price as before the war. and will do so until the supply runs out. NO COLOURS XEXT SUMMER. "One of the great troubles in regard to supplies is that dyewares are becoming almost unprocurable. Next summer is going to h< , a summer for white clothes. Even the simple indigo dyes have failed. Only this week Auckland importers have been informed by the I Bradford Dyers' Association that the shortage of dyewares in becoming such that it is necessary to make numerous > substitutions, and that they accordingly I cannot accept responsibility for any claims arising from this position. QUEEX LIZZIE AND THE PRICK OF COTTON. "The cotton supplies are also exceed- ; inglv short. Acreage usually devoted ito cotton-growing has been given over to cereals, and the demand for cotton for gunpowder manufacture has led to further shortages in supplies. It is stated that every time the Queen Lizzie fires a l.>in gim she tires a bale of cotton. In the case, of the woollen market then , is apparent/y need for even more conI cern. Practically all supplies come from Bradford. In France, at the present ■ time, there are only r>oo dress good: ■ looms in operation, where ordinarily I there were thousands. The Rheims anf 1 Lille districts, famous for their mann I factories, are now wiped out of exist ' enee. The orders for the allied annie: are such that woollen goods are at s premium, and what the outlook will h< in twelve months' time bardh care to contemplate. TOMMYS SAXDBAGP. I "The linen markpt is naturally upse: Ibv the stoppage of supplies from Russia ! Here also is to be found a reason wh; I linoleums have increased in price. I.in seed oil. used in their manufacture, i: obtained from fla\. and flax is scarce Burlap, another component part, makini the scrim-like foundation, is also diffi cult to procure. Britain has a monopol; of this texture, and uses it for packin! food and supplies for the front, afte which Tommy packs it with sand, an< uses it for making a bullet-proof shelter Carpets are affected by the shortage o dyes. A CLOVE PROBLEM. "Ladies will he concerned to knot that the war is seriously affecting th glove market. Austria and Herman giipplf most of o\ir cheap gloves: Franc nnd Italy most of our better makeThe former supplies are rut off. the Ia( ter are difficult to obtain, since Frene and Italian operators hare abandon" th" factory for the battlefield. The d= fT r-nltv in obtaining chemicals i- 'ils having its effect nn the glovc-tnakin business. ■'Here in New Zealand in pnr ow , woollen factories the position is mue the same as at Bradford. The faotorie ■ ore too hiisv filling Government cor tracts to bother about local requin ments. Some idea of what the chanc '. means m«iy be P-auged from the fac ', that blankets which this time last yen i were manufactured at IS' , - are now o! : tairmble wholesale at 22/o— an inrrea? \ of 20 per cent. t ALL A MATTER OF SUPPLY. I "So it will be obvious that the wa I has had a considerable effect upon th '. things we wear, and the position , likely to become more acute, not bec.nu? I of the difficulty of getting people t 1 buy. but because of the difficulty of ol ■ taining supplies to sell."