NYLON AND LISLE STOCKINGS MAY BE IN SHORT SUPPLY

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 March 1949, Page 3

NYLON AND LISLE STOCKINGS MAY BE IN SHORT SUPPLY

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, March 14. Retailers were concerned at the prospect of continuing and severe shortages of nylon and lisle stockings, said Mr G. L. Riley, secretary of the New Zealand Retailers’ Federation, today. He said import licences had so far been withheld and retailers were alarmed about future supplies. Mr Riley said that on December 7 advice was received from the Controller of Customs that applications would be considered from regular importers for licences to import women’s full length lisle stockings. Applications were made by retailers for licences, together with evidence of availability, but so far importers generally had not received the licences for these goods. The Retailers’ Federation viewed this with concern as it was obvious that lisle stockings were wanted for the winter and, unless licences were granted within the next 10 days, the majority of importers would not be able to land lisle stockings until well after the winter. Members of the federation were also extremely concerned at the present supply of pure silk and nylon hose. No allocations were made in the 1949 import shedule for these goods and so far the Minister of Customs (Mr Nash) had not made any supplementary licences available. Nylon stockings, in particular, were in short supply. Most retailers had neither stocks nor goods on order from overseas because of import restriction and local manufacturers at the moment had no possibility of meeting the demand.