REPORT DENIED

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31333, 1 April 1967, Page 14

REPORT DENIED

Golf Ball Production A denial that there were production set-backs at present at New Zealand’s only golf bail factory in Christchurch was given yesterday by the manager of the rubber division of Dunlop New Zealand. Ltd. (Mr J. M. Randies). He was asked to comment on a Press Association report from Wellington that a New Zealand shortage of golf balls had been caused through production set-backs at the Dunlop factory in Christchurch which is manufacturing the first locally-produced golf ball. The report said that manufacture dropped to the extent that only about half the scheduled 50,000 dozen a year were being turned out. There was no production set-back at the factory at present and it was working to its full capacity of 50,000 dozen a year, said Mr Randles. The only set-backs had occurred when the factory started production about nine months ago, but the initial teething problems had been overcome, he added. Golf balls have been rationed to two a customer since last July, said a spokesman for a large Christchurch sports firm yesterday. There were few places in Christchurch where there would be any golf balls left, he said..

Apart from the import of 11,000 dozen expected in June under a special licence, there was little likelihood of any great improvement for another 18 months, he said. Local production had not come up to expectations. The- Wellington report said it was impossible to buy a golf balls at sports shops in the capital. Golf professionals were out of supplies.

A leading importer said the situation would be serious for four to six weeks at leash

Questioned on the shortage, the Minister of Customs (Mr Shelton) said: “Unfortunately, I didn’t catch up with this quickly enough, but I can assure golfers that supplies will be available as soon as possible.”