NOSCARCITY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27081, 16 May 1949, Page 4

NOSCARCITY

BLANKETS AVAILABLE IMPORTED VARIETIES » OFFERING LOCALLY-MADE FAVOURED Blankets of any description were unprocurable in Dunedin not long ago. Now, however, as a result of importations from England and Australia, they are available in most shops. Those persons desiring' New Zealand blankets, for' which a preference is shown,- will find that these are still in short supply, and almost as soon as they_ make their appearance in stores in the city. The Daily Times was told yesterday by a retailer that the annual requirements of blankets in New Zealand totalled about 250,000 pairs. During the war, when the looms at the mills were given over to making blankets and other articles for the armed forces, few blankets could be obtained by civilians. As a result of the scarcity thus created, many families in which marriages took place denied themselves spare room blankets to allow the young couple to set themselves up in a home,„ of their own. Such replacements, and others that became necessary in the post-war years, are now being made up slowly. . „ .■. , As the production of the Dominions , mills supplied only about half the country’s requirements, the Government permitted the importation of about 100,000 pairs of blankets this year to make up the estimated deficiency. The result of this policy is seen in Dunedin to-day. English and Australian blankets are offered freely, but at prices ranging from £6 to £7 a pair, compared with prices up to £5 a pair for New Zealand blankets, which are generally considered to be superior. The retailer said that although imported blankets were readily available to the public at present, it was not expected by the trade that this position would continue indefinitely, as no further licences for importations were being granted to importers in the meantime. With the local mills making substantially no more blankets than in the past year, and with the prospect of further imports being denied them for some time, retailers expect that their stocks of blankets will not last verj long when the public realises that theii choice is restricted principally to English and Australian blankets, with e few New Zealand pairs available as they come to hand. It is noticeable that more coloured blankets are making their way on to the market than in former years. There are now golden, pink, green, and blue types available, and these have proved popular.