CLOTHING COSTS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16585, 26 July 1919, Page 10

CLOTHING COSTS.

SHORTAGE OF MATERIAL. NO n[MEDIATE PROSPECT OF DECLINE IN PRICE.. Tf tho price of clothing soars much higher there appears to be a reasonable prospcct of 3fr F. V. Frazer's remarks from the magisterial Bench in respect to the class of clothing a man will be compelled to wear coming true. During the hearing of a recent civil case it -was pointed out that a suit of clothes that cost £6 to £7 twelve months ago now costs £10 10s, and there was every .prospect of the prioo advancing still higher. This led Mr Frazer, to say that people might bare 'to go about clothed in a euit jaf bine paint. - Regarding the price <rf suitings, a "New Zealand Times" reporter mter r viewed some of the wholesale importers tf tweeds' With tho object of learning the icatiso of the present position. "There is our stock of tweeds,", observed one importer, "and I think you will agree with me that the position speaks for itself."- Tho stock referred to consisted of three rolls of tweed, the quality of which would not have pleased 1 lip critical eye of the "knut," It was iii' New Zealand manufacture, and prior to the war could be fiurchased from the mills at 3s 6d per yard- • "This quality of tweed," said the manager of tho department, "was not sold by the firm by the yard, but <waa used in the making up of ready-made clothing. It is now, however, too expensive for that purpose. Tho wholesale price is 16s wr yard and commands a ready sale." AY hen ouestioned regarding cipher ar-! tides of clothing, the warehouseman stated that he did not anticipate a do-t-lino in prices for a long way ahead. It was impossible to. procure adequate stocks to fill requirements, and the adrice received from tho English markets was not of a hopeful nature. Portions r>f the goods ordered prior to the war had recently been landed, but tho prices had advanced tremendously. The raw material market was unstable, and one week advice was received that the price of cotton had declined, and the next that- it had risen again. Until the world's trade got back to normal iind tho depleted stock.* were replenished clothing material would remain at a high fignre, and probably never would bo a3 low in prico as it was in tho early part of 1914. HUXC4ERING FOR MATERIAL. - ' Tho trade is simply hungering for -material," remarked the manager of one of the largest wholesale clothing departments in Wellington. "Look at the fixtures, they are absolutely bare, and I liaro not the slightest idea when they will be filled again. We are expecting a few parcels of ready-made clothing in the shapo of rainproof and other classes of overcoats, but tbey are all sold before they arrive. The quality of these goods, compared with tho price, is disappointing, and cotton plays an important part in their manufacture. It is a case, however, of take them or leave them, and beggars cannot be choosers. I know the publio ■ire apt to blame the wholesaler for tho high prico of material, but if they were fuTly seized - with, the facts they would

' change, that .opinion;; "The warehouses are ' simply . starving., for stocks, and every endeavour is being mado to procure them." MILLS CANNOT COPE WITH THE DEMAND. "We are in touch with practically every woollen manufacturing firm in Great Britain," said the manager 6i another wholesale iouse. "Just read some of these communications and it 1 w ill givo you some idea as to the state, of the English market." One of the communications read: "Will accept a limited number of orders for serges, but for no other woollen materials.' His was followed a week later by advice stating that no orders would be accepted for any class of material, and advice of a. similar nature was received from other manufacturers. Continuing, tho manager said: "Fortunately wo havo been able to .obtain fair stocks of linings, but if the suitings cannot be.procured the demand for linings cannot be great. All. the stock we have at present is three or tour bolts of serges the value of which is over £1000, and a small quantity _of costume material. Sere are a few yards of silk-finished worsted suiting. It cost 3s 9d per yard in England prior ,to the waT, and now costs 19s per yard and,is unprocurable at that price. The New Zealand mills turn out a fine class of material. In fact, it is too good as it is all wool.'A little cotton mixed with it would harden it up and improve its wearing quality. The mills are either not able to procure the cotton or have not the special machinery necessary for weaving the material. No doubt this, defect, if it can' be called such, will be remedied, but in the past it was not considered necessary to introduce cotton as the New Zealand mills pridedi themselves on the 'all wool' quality of their goods, but the time is surely ooming when it will be compulsory to mis cotton with certain classes of material in order to keep pace with outside competitors. No! tho New Zealand mills cannot supply anything like the demand for stocks . received from _ the warehouses, and tho output is distributed pro rata to the various firms. When parcels are received the tailors are supplied in the only. way possible, in the circumstances, that is by cutting tlie material up into suit lengths. After the receipt of a shipment the warehouse is depleted of stocks within a day or two, and the orders now in hand cannot be filled, even by reducing tho quantities to a minimum, before the end of December. Tho position is such that it has got beyond a question of price. If an improvement is not brought about there will be no work for travellers. The work in the warehouses is only of a spasmodic nature. The other day we received an order f or a suvt length of cloth from a client in the South Island. Two years ago the material enquired for was sold «t 15s per yard, and £2 10s per yard was offered for it without success. It was onticioatcd that prices would decline in England when the Armistice was signed, but those hopes have not been realised. Instead the pr»c e s have advanced, ; and as someone s*id, is always a rise beforo a fall,' I fully anticipate tlnafc by the' end -of the year the cost of clotb'ue material will drop considerably. W>en that is brought about the "New mnnufactured nrtiflo will also fall in prico as the ■RnpßcTi market controls that of the ■Dominion."