GOT A MATCH?

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 88, 15 April 1942, Page 8

GOT A MATCH?

CHRONIC SHORTAGE

RESERVE STOCKS GONE

Visions of a return to tlie flint and tinder era or. to co further back to antiquity, the rubbing together of sticks, mii-t be arising before many Aueklanders at present. Matches, both safety and wax. are at a premium. Several tobacconists' shops and chain stores in t.he city to-day were completely out of them, while others were doling them out a box at a time. One retailer refused to sell a box unless some other article was purchased with the order. Matches first became difficult to buy in bulk some six months ago. Then the position was relieved for a with supplies from Australia. For some months, however, there have been periodical shortages until now the position has become chronic. A distributing merchant explained that importations from overseas were stopped some 12 months ago, but it v .is some time before the effect was felt by the public owing .to the fact that reserve stocks were drawn on. These stocks are now said to be cyhan-ted. ,md the match factory at Wellington cannot cope with the demand. It can deal with the equivalent of normal sales plus f>o per cenl of former importations, but its output i-- stated to have been adversely affected by labour difficulties. During Christmas and New Year the plant was idle for overhaul purnoses. and mei ch.ints arc a month behind in deliveries. They have been rationing for months, but. in some districts the sunply is better than in others. Grocers are encountering the same difficulty as tobacconists in attempting to satisfy the demand, and in the opinion of the trade there is little likelihood of any relief in the supply position in the near future.

"My advice to the public is to excrcise every economy in the use of matches." said one grocer to-day.. "One way housewives can do this 'is to use spent matches again. Pipe smokers, too. who are heavy consumers. might revert to the old custom of lighting up with spills from gas jets or fires.