SHORTAGE OF CLOCKS AND WATCHES

Southland Times, Issue 24597, 20 November 1941, Page 4

SHORTAGE OF CLOCKS AND WATCHES

IMPORT RESTRICTIONS NOT

ONLY REASON

Confirmation of the statement that there is an acute shortage of cheap alarm clocks was given by wholesale and retail merchants in Invercargill yesterday. A report from Wellington printed yesterday morning described the difficulties with which importers of clocks were contending. This stated that, leaving aside the effect of the import restrictions, it was doubtful whether stocks could be obtained from overseas. The reason is that trade has ceased with Germany and Japan, which supplied the bulk of the imports, while in other countries clock-making plants, are now working part-time on munition-making and will soon swing the whole resources of their plants to war work.

Inquiries from several jewellers yesterday disclosed that stocks of good quality clocks are available, but in most cases they are small. So also are stocks of pocket watches and men’s wristlet watches. Wristlet watches have been in keen demand as presents for men going overseas and consequently they are in shorter supply than women’s. Stocks are limited to the more expensive kind of article. One firm has adopted the practice of selling men’s wristlet watches only if they are intended to be presents for men of the armed forces.

So serious is the shortage of watches that one retail firm has received a letter from wholesale merchants to the effect that for every £lOO spent on the import of watches in 1938, it could spend only £lB now, and next year this allocation would be cut in half.