HEARING AID BATTERIES

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26529, 18 September 1951, Page 8

HEARING AID BATTERIES

SUPPLIES FLOWN FROM ENGLAND

“For years now batteries have been in short supply, but during the waterfront dispute the shortage became acute and it is still bad,” said the honorary acoustical engineer of the League for the Hard of Hearing last evening when he was asked to comment on a report that members of the league were having difficulty in obtaining batteries for their hearing aids. “The main reason for the shortage appears to be the difficulty that is being experienced throughout the world in obtaining some of the essential materials used in their manufacture,” he said.

“Over 3000 hearing aids have been issued by the North Canterbury Hospital Board, and it is estimated that at least 1000 of the users are very dependent on their aids," said the league’s engineer. "Accordingly the board has done all that it could to get in batteries, and when unobtainable in New Zealand they have been flown in from Australia and from England. The extra cost of air-freight has increased the retail price by about 20 per cent. “Until three years ago when the North Canterbury Hospital Board started to supply batteries many users oL, hearing aids had a great deal of trouble in getting batteries,” the engineer said. “Some private firms still seem to have difficulty in supplying certain types of batteries. There is one type, used in a hearing aid supplied under social security, which the board is unable to stock, and since the Christchurch firm that used to carry that type went out of business many users of that aid have not been able to obtain suitable batteries for it. Otherwise.” he said, “stocks of all types of batteries are at present held by the North Canterbury Hospital Board.”