WINTER CLOTHING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26776, 20 May 1948, Page 4

WINTER CLOTHING

IN SHORT SUPPLY

IMPROVEMENT UNLIKELY

RETAILERS’ WARNING

Special Correspondent

WELLINGTON. May 19. A forecast on clothing and mercery supplies for this winter was made today by the president of the New Zealand Retailers’ Federation, Mr A. L. George. The forecast is based on a survey conducted by the federation into stocks on hand. This survey was taken, not only among retailers, but among members of the council of the New Zealand Garment Manufacturers’ Federation.

The forecast indicates that pyjama stocks will be depleted by the present cold snap, and future supply prospects are very bad, little material being available from the United Kingdom.. Nursery diapers will continue in poor supply. The industry in Britain is still unable to attract labour.

Sports trousers will be short, but some New Zealand clothing manufacturers could remedy the shortage if they had additional 1948 import licences for worsteds. New Zealand worsted production has fallen. Ready-made suits are in better supply than for a long time and the position will improve until the end of the year, though production may fall again after the summer through lack of material owing to the present import cuts.

Boys’ school suits are unlikely to be in good supply. Local manufacturers cannot now make them at the approved prices. This includes boys’ tweed jackets. Knitted woollens will be short as local mills cannot supply full requirements of either yarn or garments owing to the labour shortage. Blanket production is very short of pre-war consumption.