SCHOOL BOOKS FOR 1947

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25090, 23 January 1947, Page 5

SCHOOL BOOKS FOR 1947

BIGGER DEMAND ADDS TO DIFFICULTIES

PUBLISHERS EXPLAIN SHORTAGE

An “unprecedented demand” has added to the difficulties of New Zealand publishers and importers of school books this year, in supplying the requirements of schools from restricted stocks.

From inquiries made yesterday it appears that the supply of textbooks for secondary schools may be a little better this year than last year; but in many cases overseas publishers have answered “out of print,” “reprinting," or ‘‘in process of binding,” to inquiries for needed books. It was pointed out that all these processes, in Britain as in New Zealand, were very slow at present. Most secondary schools had stated their requirements to the importers well in advance, from July onwards. Various British textbooks, in such subjects as English, history, and the sciences, have been produced in New Zealand, and according to the publisher much more could have beeh done in this way if labour and paper had been available. It was suggested yesterday that New Zealand schools might be better off than English schools, because English publishers had responded so well tol requests to give first consideration to their export trade. Famous public schools in Britain were for the return of textbooks by old pupils; and English publishers were allowed-an extra 10 per cent, paper supply solely for export. Foy primary schools, booksellers in various centres are already ordering from the principal New Zealand publishers for the opening of the school year. It is expected that there will be some rationing of their supplies, as in recent years. School committees, parent-teacher associations, and education boards have written to the publishers. asking the reasons for the shortage. A typical reply to such an inquiry says: “There are several reasons why reading books and other textbooks are in short supply. The shortage began with the import control of paper and other printing materials: for by the time restricted imports did arrive there was a scarcity of labour and reduced hours of work, which made it impossible for us to overtake the unprecedented demand for books. Judging by this demand for books, the school population must have been very greatly increased. “As to future supplies of textbooks, we can make no promises, as the paper shortage has never been so serious, and our supply of labour dwindles almost daily.

“For the reasons stated, we have been unable to meet the demand, and once the supply has failed it is almost impossible to make good the deficiency.”