WOMEN'S WAR WORK

Southland Times, Issue 24144, 5 June 1940, Page 8

WOMEN'S WAR WORK

Shortage Of Wool For Knitting . i HEAVY DEMAND IN INVERCARGILL In Invercargill at the present time there are many knitters, but not enough wool. Since the outbreak of the war there has been an enormous demand for knitting wool with the result that just now there is a shortage which it is hoped will be only temporary. The Metropolitan Patriotic Committee has received a small quantity, which it is holding until instructions have been received about what garments are required. Khaki and Air Force blue colours are easily the most popular, according to city retailers who were interviewed yesterday, and there is very little wool of those colours available in Invercargill. One or two of the big shops still have some in stock. Fairly good supplies of other colours are in hand. One retailer said that there was an acute shortage of home wools, but a large shipment was expected in .July. After that had been landed it was difficult to say what would happen. All the lower grade knitting wool Was out of make, but he understood that supplies might be available from Tasmania. Referring to Dominion wool, the retailer said that those who had made provision for the present season and the next one would have ample supplies, but at times there would be a shortage of the most sought-after colours. There was no indication of any increase at present in the price of Dominion wool. “We have fairly good stocks of most shades,” said another retailer, “but Air Force blue and khaki are being rationed by the manufacturers. We expect a supply of English wool towards the end of this month. The demand is very heavy.” BUSINESS INCREASED FOURFOLD There was an exceptional demand for both fashion and military wools, said a retailer. His firm was doing more than four times the business it did last year in knitting wool. Reminiscent of Great War days, women are again to be seen knitting in theatres and public halls, in trains and trams and buses. It has become a common custom recently for women to take knitting to tea parties, evening meetings, and social events of all sorts. One of the merits of this type of work is that an adept can carry it out almost automatically, without need of constantly following the process with the eyes. Thus an expert can knit away in a darkened theatre without apparent inconvenience.

Many New Zealand women are knitting for Dominion Air Force men in France, or soldiers on home defence keeping chilly vigil over New Zealand’s own vital spots. Others, as a war effort, are knitting for British and French soldiers in the field, the garments in these cases being distributed by the societies and organizations that specialize in such work.