“PANIC” MEDAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 115, 19 May 1942, Page 5

“PANIC” MEDAL

NEWSPAPER AWARDS IN SYDNEY FEVER NOW DYING DOWN NO CASUALTV LIST ISSUED! Special Aus. Correspondent N.Z.P.A. (Recd. 9.15 p.m.) Sydney, May 18. Clothing stores, on the eighth lay of panic buying, sold out choir quotas within the hour. The crowds remain as large as ever, though the fever of the early days is dying down, say store executives. t All nespapers continue to casii- > gale panic buying, describing their t actions as blind, unthinkable and shameful. The Prices Commission nas e issued a warning that heavy penallu'.s e will be imposed for “black marKei” - selling of goods bought in the rush d by hoarders and intending exploiters. “Many people have been buying f quantities of clothing out of all pro- (, portion to any individual need.:,” d says the Official Commission. "A 4 reasonable assumption is that calculating hoarders may have in mind plans for setting up their own pclty black markets, selling from house to house. The position is being closely watched and strong action will be taken to prevent exploitation of the public.” A Sydney newspaper has designed a medal for panic buying, it features an inverted “V” over a snake and is inscribed: "Others do their bit. I do my neighbour.” The medal is awarded, with citations for sabotaging 'Australia’s war effort economy, to such people as the woman who paid £B3 lor ,l 23 pairs of shoes, the woman who bought £2B worth of toilet soap, the l_ man who bought ten hats, and the man who ordered eight suits from his e tailor, SoAie stores have instituted their n own rationing systems. Queued-up shoppers are issued with dockets enG titling them to buy minimum res quirements of rationed lines. As ■ only docket-holders are served, the IS most strenuous shopping competiiion b is averted. n One American correspondent 0 cabled his newspaper about the “Dedman Stakes,” as panic buying is y being called, as follows:—"It is the I darnnedst thing in the .way of a human rush that I have seen since 3 a few million Dutch, Belgian and t French civilians tried to keep ahead of the German Army in May and June, 1940.” One Melbourne shop claims the G record for selling the day’s quota in e three minutes. No casualty list has K yet been issued from this engagement! G Following an announcement that men’s clothing is likely to be standised, it is now stated that no similar move is contemplated at present in ' women’s clothing. The Minister of J-' War Organisation of Indus!ry, Me. J. J. '• Dedman, also announced that no 1 wholesale prohibition will bo imposed G on the use of brands and trade- “ marks, and existing rights to use 1 brands would not be interfered with G except where* absolutely necessary to t help the war effort or do justice bo- •’ tween firms. The Government h.ad e taken power to prohibit trademarks in " order to ensure that firms concent trating on civilian production would not have an undue advantage over - those firms engaged wholly on war ■ production. r “When ration books are issued next ■ month all children, including babies, will receive them,” states the ch fir•1 man of the new' Rationing Commisl sion, Mr. Coles. The Commission held ■ its first meeting at Melbourne toz day. - Jewellers have joined the lists of - stores restricting business, opening ‘ only for shorter hours. Following i the banning of all jewellery nianufacture excepting wedding rings by • the Federal Government, they are > switching to the manufacture of preI cision instruments for the Army and ’ Air Force. Stocks of alarm clo-’ks are exhausted. The supply of olher clocks and watches is limited. En- , gagement rings are likely to be unprocurable at the end of six mon hs.