AUCKLAND’S QUEST FOR OIL LAMPS: ELECTRIC POWER CUTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 April 1948, Page 3

AUCKLAND’S QUEST FOR OIL LAMPS: ELECTRIC POWER CUTS

AUCKLAND, This Day. Thousands of Aucklanders have set out in a grim buying mood to purchase lamps to bring light into their homes during the periods of power cuts but many of’ them failed. Good stocks were held by most'firms, but these had nearly all been cleared, more than 100 passing across the counter in an hour in some cases. A few lamps are still in stock in scattered shops, but prospects of further supplies from wholesalers were stated to be not bright. ■ “We have been besieged by people wanting kerosene lamps” said one retailer. “The people are still crowding the shop and taking whatever we can offer.” , “We have been selling nothing, else but lamps since 8.15 this .morning,” said a department head in another store which was retailing wall, chimney lamps. “We ran out of chimneys at‘half past nine and people have been buying ■ lamps without in the hope of obtaining glasses later.” In addition to about 400 of these lamps sold during the day, a store reported an eager demand for “almost obsolete” lamps from war stocks. The few petrol lamps available sold very early. .