SUPPLIES OF RAW MATERIALS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25310, 9 October 1947, Page 3

SUPPLIES OF RAW MATERIALS

MANUFACTURE OF WOMEN’S GARMENTS

From Our Own Reporter HANMER SPRINGS, October 8. One oi the major problems’ the federation had to face was the procurement of raw materials, stated the report of the New Zealand Women s and Girls’ Outerwear Manufacturers’ Federation, presented at the annual meeting to-day. The system of Gov ernment sponsorship for cotton piece goods was discontinued at the end oi last year and in the few months which followed it was not easy to get a clear picture of what future prospects of supplies might be. At that time there was difficulty in Britain in filling back orders. Britain underwent a severe strain, including a rigid winter, and the position was further aggravated by a coal crisis. All those factors delayed the recovery of, the British textile industry, having ’an adverse affect on the supply of materials to New Zealand. The report continued that it was fortunate that Britain and other countries based on sterling were now on the road to recovery in production, as with the curtailment of dollar expenditure it was not expected that many of the supplies previously received from Canada and America would come to hand.

The supply position of practically all types of women’s and children’s garments which came within the scope of the industry was fairly well balanced. There were few. if any. serious shortages, while at the same time the difficulties of an over-supply by undue concentration z on the production of any one line had been avoided. This could only continue if an adequate supply of necessary, raw materials was assured.