SCHOOL BOOKS

Evening Star, Issue 26011, 28 January 1947, Page 8

SCHOOL BOOKS

MANUFACTURERS' DIFFICULTIES SOME IN SHORT SUPPLY No noticeable, improvement in the supply of secondary school text books can be looked for this year, according to a local bookseller yesterday. University students may even have greater difficulty in securing their requirements British publishers have been concentrating on supplying, the export trade, and this has led to the curious position of British text books being in better supply here than in Britain. However, there are many much-sought-after books out of print. British manufacturers are having particular difficulty at the moment in supplying Shakespeare’s plays. A-letter from the London house of a New Zealand firm stated- recently that of the 15 publishers normally printing annotated editions of ‘ Antony and Cleopatra ’ and ‘ King Lear ’ not one could supply any copies, and orders had been received for hundreds. Another play, ‘ Measure for Measure,’ had been published in only a few editions, nad not one of these was obtainable.

Many Greek, Latin and French classics were' also, unobtainable in English or foreign editions, and also many of the science text books used in New Zealand, stated the letter.. Exercise books are in adequate supply this year, and there has been, a small reduction in price on some lines.' Blocks of cartridge paper, and books for wafer-colour painting are also available in quantity. The bookseller expected to have no. difficulty in supplying all the exercise books needed when the schools, reopen.