DEAPERY PRICES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18440, 21 June 1920, Page 9

DEAPERY PRICES.

THE RETAILERS’ CASE. Tho Wellington Retail Drapers’ Association has forwarded the following statement to tho Wellington “ Post.” “ From the point of view of tho retailer who is also an importer, any ris-o or fall in the cost of goods in England is not immediately felt in New Zealand. A period of at host nine months usually elapses before goods are ticketed in local shop windows up to tho increased cost. In the years of the war when tho vholo commercial world wits going up on a rising market, tho Press of New Zealand was able from time to time to render a service to the community by pointing out imminent increases in the prico oi commodities. The effect of these warnings in tlio columns of the papers was felt and recognised by distributors, for those who wore wise supplied their needs before the advance affected retail prices. Textiles, which embraces furnishings and general domostic fabrics, aro being sold so cheaply to-day in this country that a prominent (Sooted woollen manufacturer recently stated tlwt it would pay him to buy tho goods ho saw in the shops hero and take them back to sell in England. In respect of goods manufactured from wooi. The competition that existed between the local production and tho imported article is nullified through New Zealand goods being practically unobtainable in any quantity likely to affect the selling price. Regarding goods made of cotton, a large manufacturer reports by tho last mail that high prices here have only now started, and present price* may bo 100 per cent higher before tliis time •next year. Shipments of floods just landed touch tho highest price yet reached. Behind those are shipments on tho water at still higher prices, and on the wharves in England lit goods just as high, if not higher. Tho importer will not know until ho receivos ins invoice bearing tile price ruling on tho dale ol delivery to tho shipper. No reduction iu prico has yet taken place at the seat of manufacture, and until it does and time has elapsed for goods to bo mad© and shipped and received, its effect cannot be felt by the individual purchaser hero. The position cf the retailer in New Zealand is not analogous to the big American retail stores. Their panic prices aro due to panic methods. No retailer in this country lias hoarded up huge reserves of necessary goods and finds himself forced to disgorge at a word from his banker. Prices here are not artificially high through any action on the part of the importer. So far as drapery goods are concerned, importers oennot eeo ns yet any general decline in .price. It is rumoured that local woollen goods will shortly bo further advanced.”