FEW LAWNMOWERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24132, 26 November 1941, Page 8

FEW LAWNMOWERS

IMPORTS PROHIBITED ! PLIGHT OF GARDENERS GOOD EXCUSE FOR FATHER There have always been people who make a habit of borrowing a lawn- ! mower from their next door neighbour, but in future they will have a good 1 excuse, for there is an acute shortage 1 of lawnmowers in Auckland. The depletion of stocks is so serious that unless orders are placed with hardware firms months ahead, it is impossible to obtain one. While this may be good news for perspiring fathers and reluctant schoolboys, the long range view is not to be regarded lightly. Imports of lawnmowers were prohibited almost two years ago, and the entire demand in New Zealand was thrown on one local factory, which is quite unable to meet requirements. In view of the fact that 27,000 mowers were imported into Mew Zealand in the last year before restrictions.. it will readily be seen how hopeless is the task set for the local industry. Hardware firms in Auckland state that the Government has been advised of the acute shortage and the dissatisfaction among prospective purchasers. Several attempts have been made to persuade the Government to permit importations from Australia, where stocks are available; but so far with no success. Most Auckland firms receive only from 10 to 12 mowers a week, but these do not remain in the shops for more than a few hours. One firm has over 100 orders for mowers and receives only 10 each week. "Mowers are not the only things we are short of," said another merchant. "We have no plain galvanised iron, and we cannot make one length of spouting, ridging or downpipe. There is not a roll of galvanised wire netting in Auckland. The Government must take the blame for this. Some' months ago supplies were fairly plentiful overseas, but import licences were unobtainable. Now that we can secure some licences, there are no stocks left. It is the same as in the case of silk stockings; we have missed the bus. We are not a hardware firm at all nowadays, for to make a living it is necessary to sell all varieties of manufactured goods which we never touched previously."