SHORTAGE OF BLANKETS

Grey River Argus, 19 February 1949, Page 6

SHORTAGE OF BLANKETS

TIMARU, Feb. 18. Normal requirements of blankets are approximately 250,000 pairs and last year local production has been about 120,000 pairs, leaving an anticipated deficit of 130,000 pairs for the coming winter, says the annual report of the Drapery Trade Group of the New Zealand Retailers’ Federation, presented to the annual meeting of the group. The report criticised the late release of the import schedule for 1949 and quoted blankets as an example “The Government is fully aware of the position and in 1948 met the situation by granting licences, yet so far no licences have been granted for 1949 and there is now little possibility of traders being able to import the necessary blankets from Britain for this winter. The only hope is to obtain supplies from Australia if licences are available. “It is hard to understand the fact that no licences have yet been granted for nylon hose,” the report adds. “Local ’production has no hope of meeting the demand this year.”