THE PAPER SHORTAGE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 75, 8 July 1942, Page 4

THE PAPER SHORTAGE

IT, may not generally be known among our readers that the Beacon is one of the few papers in New Zealand to retain its normal size since the commencement of the war. This has been due to the policy of always maintaining stocks well in advance of anticipated demands. Thus subscribers have continued to enjoy the benefit of the full service initiated by the Beacon while other districts have not been so fortunate. The position to-day however enforces even the best equipped establishments to exercise caution over the volume of stock on hand. For nearly a year there has been no newsprint imported into this country. The position for many firms is therefore critical and their prospects are further aggravated by the fact that no guarantee of future supplies can be given with any degree of certainty. In the case' of 'the Beacon,' it may be necesasry,, unless new supplies are available or prospective in the near future to reduce the size of the publication by half, making it merely four pages instead of the normal eight. This course will only be followed when it is considered absolutely necessary to do so. In the meanwhile it will be the honest endeavour of the management to maintain the usual size of the paper and volume of news in spite of staff shortages and indefinite supplies.