Serious Concern: Shortage of Children’s Shoes

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 May 1947, Page 8

Serious Concern: Shortage of Children’s Shoes

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, May 2. Concern, at .the present shortage of small children’s footwear and the’lack of material suitable for. babies’ clothing was expressed at the half-yearly meeting in Wellington 6f the Dominion council of the Pluhket Society. “Although licences to import children’s footwear may be obtained when availability has been proved,” statement issued by the council, “it appears that in many cases undue ddlay has been experienced in granting, licences to importers with the result that goods are no longer procurable. “Customs Department figures show that the importation of shoes. in sizes seven to nine has been maintained while that of sizes 0 to six has declined. This is a serious matter,, particularly in view of the greatly increased birthrate during the last two years, as indications > are that an army .of toddlers will have to go unshod during the coming winter.” The society intends to place its case before the footwear planning committee, and urge that manufacturers be apprised of the serious situation and asked what contribution they are pre-, pared to make towards relieving the present emergency. Council members reported that mothers to be had fainted in antenatal clinics after hours of tramping the streets ill a fruitless search for materials for babies’ layettes. It was stated that during the last few months the society had approached the Minister of Industries and Commerce and the New Zealand Woollen Mill Owners’ Association, but in spite of strenuous efforts to improve a very serious situation an acute shortage existed of cot blankets, "white flannel, and white wool. The society is sending a deputation to the Acting-Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr A. H. Nordmeyer) requesting him to make a full investigation of the serious position and asking him to find a solution.