SUMMER SPORTS GOODS

Southland Times, Issue 23795, 18 April 1939, Page 6

SUMMER SPORTS GOODS

Big Reductions In Imports

DEALER TO PROTEST TO MINISTER

SHORTAGE OF EQUIPMENT FOR CHILDREN That there is likely to be a shortage of sports goods next summer is the general opinion of sports goods dealers in Invercargill. The shortage will affect children, they say, more than anyone else, because, although cricket bats and tennis rackets are made in New Zealand they are much higher in price than the imported articles usually bought for children. Because of this, an Invercargill firm is to make a protest to the Minister of Customs (the Hon. W. Nash) about the severe reduction made in the importations of sports goods from India, which has supplied firms with cheap cricket bats and balls, tennis rackets and hockey sticks. A principal of the firm stated yesterday in an interview with The Southland Times that there was a big demand for the cheaper sports equipment.' “For instance,” he said, “leather cricket balls manufactured in India and retailed here for 5/- have been cut out. These balls were used for practice purposes and are greatly in demand in schools. Now schools will either have to pay 12/- or 15/- for balls, which is rather unlikely, or use sawdust balls, which are not satisfactory. Much the same applies to cricket bats and tennis rackets. Formerly, tennis rackets could be bought for children at 10/-; now the cheapest will be 25/-. PROTEST TO MINISTER “But this letter will speak for itself,” said the dealer, handing the reporter a copy of a letter which is to be forwarded to the Minister of Customs. The letter states: We take this opportunity of lodging a protest about the very severe cut ■ made on sports goods from India, which we consider will seriously affect the future of the sports goods trade, not so much for the actual value involved but by the prevention of starting the younger generation in the various games. Most children could not afford to purchase material for tennis, cricket, or hockey to start playing these games at the prices that are asked for English goods’or those of local manufacture, and we believe that .if Indian cricket balls are restricted this game will cease to be played about the second half of next season. Stocks of balls in the country are very low, and with only 20 per cent, of last year’s imports allowed this year the position is obvious. Apart front the fact that the health of the younger generation might suffer through being unable to take up the sports mentioned, we feel sure that the lines mentioned below could not affect the local factories, who would prefer not to manufacture them. We would like your department to consider the following lines to be imported in quantities equal to last year: Cricket balls up to 6/- each c.i.f. Cricket bats up to 5/- each elf. Tennis rackets up to 7/6 each c.i.f. Tennis gut up to 3/- set c.i.f. Hockey sticks up to 8/- each c.i.f. Hockey balls up to 6/- each c.i.f. Badminton rackets up to 5/each c.i.f. We feel certain of having the support of all the sports trade in the above remarks and trust you will give this protest your serious consideration.

GOODS MADE IN NEW ZEALAND

Another Invercargill sports dealer said he saw no reason for pessimism. He thought that New Zealand factories could maintain an adequate supply of tennis rackets and cricket bats, provided the Government did not limit the supply of raw materials which these firms would require. The dealer admitted, however, that the cheaper lines of sports goods would be affected.

A third dealer said that sports businesses were affected more than any other by the import restrictions; the position next summer was likely to be serious. Winter sports were not affected

at present, because stocks for the present season were ordered before December 5 last. Jerseys in most cases were made in New Zealand and would not be affected in any case, but so far as Rugby footballs were concerned the situation next year might be serious. The English Rugby balls which had been used in international matches and representative matches would be in much shorter supply, as their importation had been cut down by 50 per cent. KITCHEN UTENSILS

There is at present a shortage of enamel kitchenware and other kitchen utensils in Invercargill, but the shortage is not expected to assume serious proportions for at least another three months. Managers of several leading hardware firms in the city stated yesterday that they thought the position would be really serious about the end of the first six months in 1939. In referring to the effects of the import restrictions the representative of one firm explained that the Customs Department had based its derision on the figures for the first half of 1938. Because of rising prices imports had been heavy in 1937 and consequently the imports during 1938 had been below the average. One result of the reduction in j;he quota was that they would now have to cut down the range of articles an" import bigger quantities of quicker-selling lines. The effect or the restrictions was not being felt to any great extent as yet, but he was afraid that the position in three months’ time would be much different.