DRESS MATERIALS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2462, 15 May 1915, Page 11

DRESS MATERIALS

EFFECTS OF THE WAR. All dress stuffs are higher than they were in August last. The increase amounts to between 20' and 30 per cent., states a writer in the "Sydney Morning Herald." First among the causes is the decrease in supply. Tho Whole world outside of our enemies and the United States is looking to Bradford for supplies. And Bradford has also to supply woollens for men's clothing. When the manufacturers find themselves overpressed with orders, when they have to refuse orders hecause of inability to carry _ them _ out, rates naturally go up. Again,'freights have gone up 25 per cent. Where 6 or 7 per cent; of the cost of a picce of dress stuff was consumed in freight, now 7i to 9 per cent, is the charge on to cost,, on account of freight. ,War risk adds a little, and, as far as /Australia is concerned, Customs duties add 5} per cent. As to stocks, there need be no anxiety for the immediate future. Supplies are sufficient, because of this winter they were contracted for before war broke out. The manufacturers are always about 12 months ahead of tlie using public. It is next winter that the pinch will be felt. Then the scarcity may be pronounced. Curiously enough, those in the business believe that were the war to end within a couple of months the shortness of stocks would be more felt and prices would be higher than should the war | | continue for another 12 months. The reason is that were the war to end shortly, there would be such a revival of business that the world would spend more money in dress, so much so that there would be a scramble for the goods. Under tho stress of the demand the prices would soar. Competition would force them up. On the other hand, should tlje war continue, buying would be restricted to a large extent. No 'matter when the war ends there will be a pronounced scarcity of the finer dress-stuffs. Belgium is in ruins; so are large district of Northern France. Hero (Australia) the chief fine-wool dress-goods of the world were made —cashmeres 'and crepes, for instance. Germans in Australia believe that they will never be driven out of Belgium; that they are there to stay there. They may be driven out of France, they say; but before they are they ■ will destroy every factory; every means of manufacturing commodities of any kind whatsoever. Similarly, if by treaty—and that, they profess, is the

only way by which they will evacuate the country—they agree to evacuate Belgium, they will see to it that every Belgian factory is razed to the ground and the machinery destroyed.. Germans in Australia are quite frank about the matter. Such measures they look upon as self-protection. Great nations of the world have declared, they say, that they will not rlo business with Germany when peace is declared. "Well, Germany will force them to do 1 business. For years Belgium will not be able to export any woollen manufactures, nor Northern France. It will take at least two years to rebuild the factories, . even if capital is available, and • get them properly running. The world will be forced to fall back on Germany for goods in which France and Belgium were pre-eminent. So Germany, by destroying- her neighbours' means of livelihood, hopes to rehabilitate her own broken fortunes. Germans here do not believe that the Allies, once peace is declared, will practise self-denial and deprive themselves of luxurious dress in any measure. For ourselves, we believe that the Germans are mistaken, and that the English and Russians will wait patiently for French and Belgian goods. These facta are known bettor in Melbourne than in Sydney, and Melbourne is buying more freely than Sydney, and at higher'rates, those lines which it is known must be short next year.