SUGAR AND TEA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVII, Issue 21508, 22 November 1939, Page 11

SUGAR AND TEA

Statement By Minister Grocers Take Exception By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, November 21. The statement of the Minister fpr Supply (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) issued, recently in connection with stocks of sugar and tea have been referred to the Wellington Master Grocers’ Association, which is emphatic that the Minister’s statement is misleading to the public. At the commencement of the war grocers were requested to co-operate with the Government in the difficult period by keeping a check on hoarding by limiting supplies to the normal requirements of customers. The trade was happy to co-operate and has done everything within its power to assist the Government, and serious exception is taken to the statement of the Minister that supplies have not been rationed, either by wholesalers or the retailers. The grocers state definitely that they were unable to obtain from wholesalers even their normal requirements of certain lines, and in particular did this apply to sugar and tea. Consequently they were compelled to limit the amounts of these commodities which they supply to customers. All grocers in Wellington regret the inconvenience caused to customers by this limiting of supplies and wish to make it quite clear that they are in no way responsible for the shortage. The resolution passed by Auckland Master Grocers yesterday in reply to the Minister’s statement has the full support of the Wellington Association. LOW STOCK OF GROCERIES By Telegraph—Press Association DUNEDIN, November 21. Judging by the present trend of events reductions in staff in wholesale and retail business after the holidays are regarded as a foregone conclusion. One merchant stated that conditions reported from the north were no different from those prevailing in Dunedin. Stocks of groceries are low and where licences have been received for further supplies they are only for a small percentage of the actual requirements.