SALES DELAYED

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20811, 23 May 1939, Page 6

SALES DELAYED

IMPORT RESTRICTIONS DRAPERY TRADE AFFECTED DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING GOODS Faced with the ever-increasing difficulty of obtaining goods owing to the import restrictions the drapery trade has suffered severely over the past few months. Hamilton drapers met this week and as a result of their difficulties the majority decided to delay alt winter sales until approximately a month later than usual. Even then the sales would be of very short duration. It was pointed out to a Waikato Times representative that this momentous decision had been forced upon them owing to the effect of the restrictions. Members of the trade said this morning that owing to the difficulty in obtaining stock it was impossible to hold sales at present. In many cases lines which were substantially reduced at sale time would no longer be deduced in price, and it had been decided that no reductions of any consequence would take place until a! least towards the end of July. When the sales did eventuate the public would find that many lines that were previously reduced would not now be lower priced, while other lines, which would have to be totally cleared, would carry the usual reductions. The main cause of the delay was that the firms did not know even now exactly where they stood as far as the import restrictions were concerned. Many very popular lines had been completely prohibited and it was impossible to replace them from local manufacturers. Local Manufacturers' Position “It is no use people waiting for local manufacturers to supply the local market,” commented one draper. “My firm has had orders with New Zealand manufacturers but has been told that the goods could not possibly be delivered as the factory could not produce the goods at present and il would be some considerable time before they would be in a position to do so.” When the sales were held some lines, that it was not worth stocking, would have to be totally cleared while other lines would have to be conserved to allow an even spread of sales over the whole year. Even now the public were becoming increasingly aware of the effect of the restrictions and some lines, \vhich it was known would soon be unavailable, were eagerly sought after. Members of the trade emphasised that the restrictions would have a disastrous effect on business and the holding of sales was practically an impossibility until they knew more where they stood. As it was, things were very haphazard and firms were placed in a very invidious position. Their prime duty was to serve the public but this they were, apparently, not allowed to do. They had to take what they could get and apparently the public would have to buy not what they wanted but what they could obtain.