WINNING OF WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 64, 13 September 1943, Page 7

WINNING OF WAR

BRITISH EFFORT

BUSINESS SACRIFICE

Htrares&rftfe of Sritaiii's, t»W^y '** putting the war first and the sacrifice's this involves in business aim mariftfacturiflg tfirples &re, jto be gained froip -a . y letter Jsc«sjve«l by the Nafib'nal pa'ffidtic ftod Bbfei-a from its buying agents in the United Kingdom. The letter also indicates the many controls that have had to be introduced in Britain in respect to the use of materials and the export of manufactured goods. But in spite of the difficulties the letter also reflects the true British spirit; while it sets out present difficulties, there is not a word of criticism or complaint.

In order to provide crockery for its recreation rooms, material for indoor games, and sports equipment, to mention a few items, it is necessary for the board to comb the various markets both within the Dominion and also overseas. Stocks in any sizeable quantities of a number of the lines required have long ago disappeared in the Dominion, and it has been necessary to make arrangements, where possible, to import under licence from abroad. Even in the big centres of production, however, there are no longer stocks in some cases, and in others it is found that the production of certain lines is limited and their export strictly controlled. , , What with the restrictions placed on the use of materials in overseas countries and the other controls that apply to goods, it says much for the manufacturers that they are able _to supply certain goods to the board for distribution to the men and women in the New Zealand Forces. To quote one item, the board wanted 18 dozen hairdressers' scissors. The firms approached in Britain on its behalf were unable to accept this order because their ordinary material quota was "insufficient for them to anywhere near deal with their ordinary commercial trade.", The board's agents stated that they were hoping that arrangements could be made for sufficient steel to be made available to manufacture the scissors, but .the formalities might occupy a fortnight or so." It was the same with orders placed for playing cards, for 100 yards of flannel (which in normal times would have been a very small order), pen nibs, and other items. If the material for manufacture was not available, there was the question of the export quota or of getting special permission to export. In the case of a number of other lines, the agents were able to report that orders had been placed successfully and that the work was in hand. :

RAW MATERIALS.

Dealing with the position generally, the agents' letter stated: "With the lengthening of time and continued reduction in the number of operatives who are left for the production of commercial goods, the variety and the quantity available for consideration is lessening. As stocks of raw materials are cleared without replacements being available,-additional goods will be unobtainable for the duration. Thus you will- appreciate that the difficulties twelve months ago were few in comparisCi with those which confront the trade \oday." Somti sports material is difficult to obtain in quantity, but the board has been successful in placing a number of orders this year and some of this material is now coming to hand. It has been advised by its British buyers, however, that certain cricket equipment will no longer be available from some firms, and that that will be the position in respect of those lines for the duration of the war. Obtaining export permits by the manufacturers, in those cases where the materials are available, represents only one of the necessary authorities, as the agents' letter makes clear. It does not automaticaly represent export permission under the prohibition order. "When the manufacturers have a licence to produce," the letter states, "they must then get a licence to release goods for, export, and we as the' exporters must obtain a licence for all goods covered by the export prohibited list. Additionally,, there are material supply licences in a number of instances, and it is because of the many approvals that we have to obtain that we can never really be certain as to the progress of an item until it is actually on board steamer. . . ."