RATION COUPONS NOT TO BE CUT

Southland Times, Issue 24764, 8 June 1942, Page 4

RATION COUPONS NOT TO BE CUT

SALE OF GOODS ON ; APPROVAL

(Special) WELLINGTON, June 6. A number of subsidiary matters arising from the introduction of the rationing system of footwear, clothing .and household linen were dealt with in a statement by the Rationing Controller, Mr J. E. Thomas. “Consumers,” said Mr Thomas, “are strongly recommended to budget ahead for their requirements of clothing, footwear and household linen under the rationing scheme, spreading their purchases over the whole of the 12 months in accordance with their needs. A guiding principle must be to buy only when goods are actually needed.” The controller states that orders for suits and costumes placed before May 29 will not require coupons if the goods are delivered by July 31. The same applies to orders for alterations requiring rationed material. FRACTIONS OF COUPONS Retailers must not in any circumstances cut coupons into pieces for fractions. In cases where in calculating the number of coupons to be surrendered the number ends with a fraction this should be rounded up if it is one-half or more and down if it is less than one-half, except that all fractions less than one must be rounded up to and treated as one. A customer desiring to obtain goods on approval and sale or return must first specify the quantity and description of the goods he desires to acquire and surrender to the retailer from which the goods are supplied the appropriate number of coupons. Any rationed goods which are supplied in excess of the quantity for which coupons have been surrendered must be returned by the customer to the retailer within 14 days. When goods are returned by a purI chaser the retailer will be expected to surrender loose coupons covering the goods in question and such coupons must be mounted on the retailer s official letterhead or statement and signed by him. In addition, the number of coupons returned must be stated on such document. Gifts by traders are not coupon-free. In addition, a trader who exchanges a rationed article for other goods under a barter arrangement must demand coupons. , , Damaged, shop-soiled and imperfect goods are to be treated on the same basis as second-hand goods. Coupons must be surrendered if the sale price exceeds the stipulated amount. Replacements of articles lost or destroyed by laundries may be made without the surrender of coupons, provided the laundry is on the approved list and supplies a certificate to the effect that such goods have been lost or destroyed.