NO IMPROVEMENT IN SUPPLY OF BLANKETS LIKELY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 41, 14 January 1949, Page 5

NO IMPROVEMENT IN SUPPLY OF BLANKETS LIKELY

There is not much chance that the supply of blankets, which have been very scarce for the last few years, will improve during the next 12 months, a Beacon reporter was told when making a survey of Whakatane retailers yesterday. Throughout New Zealand there has been a shortage of blankets and, at present, local mills have been unable to satisfy, the demand. While there seemed to be sufficient wool available for manufacturing the blankets the main drawback at present seemed to be lack of labour, said a manager of one drapery store. Young people were not taking employment in the woollen mills when they could easily find work at a higher wage and in more congenial surroundings elsewhere. There had been some suggestion though, he added, that the position may be eased by getting immigrants to enter the factories and learn the work. In that case there might be a slight improvement. Import Blankets One draper said that endeavours were being made to import more blankets from England and Australia. Representations have been made by the New Zealand Retailers’ Association to the Minister of Customs, Mr Nash, asking that traders be given the opportunity to approach overseas suppliers of blankets immediately, so that deliveries may be made in time for next winter. It is understood that this question is at present being investigated. In the meantime Whakatane draperies have been receiving inquiries every day for blankets from people all over this part of the Bay of Plenty. They have long waiting lists, including urgent cases of young couples just married, but it is anybody’s guess wffien they will be fulfilled. Army, blankets have eased the situation for sofne time but even supplies of these, are now diminishing rapidly. They have been snapped up by people who would never have dreamed of putting them on their beds in normal times. Allocation Fairly Good “Although there is a bad shortage, our allocation has been fairly good when' compared with those of other country towns,” said one manager. “While we don’t get anywhere near' enough to satisfy the demand we really »have nothing to growl about when realising the true position in other parts of the country.” The price of New Zealand-made blankets is said to be fairly reasonable, but the imported product is sometimes from two to three guineas dearer. Even so, shops have little difficulty in getting rid of them.