GERMAN GOODS OUSTED

Evening Star, Issue 16990, 12 March 1919, Page 3

GERMAN GOODS OUSTED

■ * LAST CHRISTMAS TRADE. STOCKS IX LONDON* SHOPS. Interesting details have come to hand of a comparison that has been made at half a dozon typical London West End vet ail establishments between the origin of Christmas trade goods offered for sale last December and that of similar goods displayed before the •war. Of the shops chosen two showed presents chiefly for men, two for children, two were fancy drapery stores, dealing in blouses, laces, gloves, silk stockings, handkerchiefs, fancy bags (not of leather), scarves, jumpers, and knick-knacks. An analysis as to country of origin gave the following results for 1918 and 1913 respectively:— —ln 1913. ' J British 70 per cent. I French 20 perceni. i American 5 per cent. Doubtful 5 per cent, ' —ln 1913.- | German and Austrian 55 per cent. i British 20 per cent.. j French 15 per cent. j Doubtful 10 per cent. ' The doubtful goods of 1918 include relic? of old stocks, some of German and Austrian manufacture. In other words, in 1913 enemy countries supplied more than half, and Britain but a fifth; to-day British traders pro- r vide seven-tenths of the market and the I Allies a quarter. I The chairman of the National Leather ] Goods Manufacturers' Association said that I before the war the light leather goods trade was almost completely in German hands, as well as a portion of the travelling goods trade. British plant hRd yet to bo raiised, while the German plant still existed. If this trade was to be secured for Britain it was essential to obtain the support of British buyers. There was 110 likelihood of the prices of light leather goods coming down with «, rush. The Government estimated that during the war at least 20 years' stocks of raw material bad been exhausted. There was no hope of huge supplies of raw materials being available ox of the present price being reduced appreciably.