SPORTS GOODS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23565, 27 January 1940, Page 13

SPORTS GOODS

SHORTAGE EXPECTED MANY IMPORTED LINES FISHING. SHOOTING AND GOLF Golfers who slice balls into the rough during the coming season will probabK spend much more time in looking for them than they have done in the past, •as the joint effects of import restrictions and the war may result in a shortage of golf balls in New Zealand. Many other sports requisites, apart from the comparatively few made in bulk in New Zealand, may also be more difficult to obtain, and sports dealers believe that some lines will be tin procurable. "The importation of some sports goods has been totally prohibited, and in other lines we are allowed to buy from Britain goods to half the value of those imported in the corresponding period last year," an Auckland sports dealer said yesterday. "This is not so bad in some cases, but with sporting rifles, for example, the position will be acute." Coods lrom Overseas With a view to avoiding a shortage of golf balls and some other articles, dealers were arranging among themselves to spend their allocations of sterling to the best possible advantage, another dealer said. Thus, an agent who had in fclio past imported a miscellany of sports goods would probably concentrate exclusively on one line in the future, ensuring that at least some golf balls and imported tennis balls, for example, would be available for players. "There will certainly be no shortage of good quality tennis frames," a dealer said. "Manufacturers are turning out good frames in Auckland, Wellington and Christchureh, and New Zealand now exports thousands of frames to the United States and Australia." Problems for Anglers

Anglers, game sportsmen and' riflemen may find imported goods essential to their respective sports not only in short supply but also substantially dearer. A dealer reported that highquality double-tapered lines for troutfishing, precision-made reels essential for chocking the rush of New Zealand rainbows, and fly-rods from leading English makers would be in short supply, and would almost certainly be dearer, due to higher freights and" warrisk insurance.

An unexpected result of the war would bo difficulty in procuring the long gut casts used by anglers, he continued. The fine quality gut used for making casts for trout-fishing was now required for surgical use. "All imported fishing tackle is advancing in price," a dealer said. "Already our English principals will not give firm quotations " Sporting Rifle Ammunition "There is a total prohibition on all foreign firearms, including the popular .22 calibre rifle." he continued* "In addition, many English manufacturers are not in a position to supply orders. Some of them have been unable to supply for two years, so that 50 per cent of the value of last year's imports means almost nothing.

'The position is similar with regard to .22 ammunition. Eighty per cent of it comes from the United States, and this has been totally rilled out. English firms cannot supply, and some of our orders five months old have not been filled."