AMPLE SUPPLIES OF STOCKINGS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25244, 24 July 1947, Page 2

AMPLE SUPPLIES OF STOCKINGS

SHOPS REPORT GOOD " DEMAND

Not for some years have women’s stockings, in a variety of materials, been available in such quantities as are in shops at Christchurch at present. Retailers have silk, nylon, rayon, and lisle lines at a wide range of prices, and are finding that there is a good demand for nearly all but' the more expensive articles. The opinion that if the system of X coupons had been retained, there would be a glut of stockings on the market now, was expressed by a representative of one firm, who said that a large number of licences to import women’s stockings from Great Britain and the United States had been grantted when it was proved that New Zealand mills could not supply enough to meet the demand. At present there were ample stocks, and with the release of clothing coupons for stockings, there was a good demand for all lines carried. There was no sign of the demand decreasing; but shoppers were becoming “price conscious” about the higher-priced lines —anything more than 25s being considered dear. While medium-priced lines were proving very popular, she now sold, on the average, only one pair of stockings costing more than £1 a week, said one of the staff of a large department store at Christchurch. English and American-made stockings sold well as long as they were reasonably priced, she said, adding that the New Zealand-made goods were still in short supply. Manufacturers’ Difficulties Industries in New Zealand were unable to meet the demand to-day, partly because of a shortage of female labour and partly becaise insufficient raw material had been released; but there was quite a bit of machinery in the country, said the manager of a firm which manufactures stockings. The pressure by retailers on the Government for import licences had led to the present influx of stockings, many lines being highly priced. New Zealand hose made of lisle, rayon mixture, silk, or nylon, compared more than favourably in price with the imported articles. So far, only sample lots of nylon had been received from Great Britain, but more was expected shortly. Companies had been allotted a quantity of silk which was at pfefcerit in Australia, and when stockings were produced here of this material, they should sell at-about 15s a pair, compared with the price of 20s to 25s charged for imported lines. Importations from the United States were the main cause of the plentiful supplies available to-day; but there was a feeling in trade circles that stockings might become short in about six months’ time, he said.