CROCKERY FAMINE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 109, 10 May 1941, Page 8

CROCKERY FAMINE

HOUSEWIVES' QUESTS

ENAMEL AND GLASSWARE

"The china and pottery trade is in a worse position than almost every other trade supplying essential goods." said the manager of an Auckland business engaged in this branch of importing and distributing to-day. The licenses granted by the Government for crockery and other kitchen ware imports were described as "hopelessly inadequate." and it was stated that various forms of rationing were being enforced in the sale of the limited supplies. "The public is only just beginning to realise the real state of things." was the comment made by a departmental manager in a city store, "but they are accepting the position in a good spirit. They appear to realise that we are doing our best to spread supplies and to use our licenses to the maximum advantage of the people, which means the elimination of the most profitable lines." Nine Months For Deliveries Owing to the difficulties in Britain, the potteries there are now requiring orders to be placed from two to four months before shipment, it was stated, and the prices charged were those ruling on the date of shipment. Compared with a normal period of six months in peace time to obtain deliveries in New Zealand under mail orders, the time was now at least nine months. There had been a complete absence of everyday white and gold cups and saucers for a considerable time, and 200 dozen which arrived this month had little visible effect, although carefully rationed. The shortage was accentuated by the non-arrival of fourth period orders, which then had to be deducted from fifth period licenses. Only where firms had placed their orders before obtaining licenses was it possible to secure a portion of their supplies in the latter part of last year. '"For two and a half years, since the import restrictions came into force, we have been unable to order a dinner set. tea set. salad set or supper set or any fancy china." said a leading wholesale merchant. "Import licenses running into thousands of pounds have had to be confined to plain white plates and plain white or white and gold cups, saucers and plates. The underlying idea of the Government seems to be that everyone in New Zealand should have one cup and saucer and one plate. And the possibility of breakages appears to have .escaped notice." One-Tenth of Needed Supplies

He declared that the supplies coming in were insufficient to meet a tenth of the Dominion's demand, and as china was not manufactured In New Zetland, there was no means of making up the shortage. England was ahle. despite war damage, to supply far more than importers here had been permitted to order. Supplies to the domestic market in Britain had been reduced by 50 per cent to permit of larger exports in the interests of trade, "out New Zealand's restrictions had cut down the quantity of imports. Australia, on the other hand, had imposed no restrictions while Canada had taken off her duties to assist imports from Britain. Glassware, except tumblers, was affected in a similar manner to fancy china, it was stated, and supplies had been totally prohibited since the end of 103 S. Stocks of glass dishes, bowls, sugar basins, jam dishes, jugs and other lines had been sold out for a considerable time. Enamel ware and hollow ware of all kinds—pots. pans, kettles, pic dishes, bowls, basins. mugs or plates—were unprocurable in the majority of the shops and warehouses in the Dominion, said another merchant. Only in occasional retail shops was it possible to secure an occasional article of this kind. The position had been aggravated by the ban on aluminium substitutes owing to the war. Two or three large shipments of enamclwarc had been lost through enemy action during the past six months, and this had deprived the market of urgently needed relief.