SHORTAGES OF APPAREL

Chronicle (Levin), 25 October 1946, Page 7

SHORTAGES OF APPAREL

-Press Association

Labour the Primary Cause

By Telegraph-

. WELLINGTON, Oet. 24. No good purpose could be achieved by minimising the grave shortages of apparel, eontends the New Zealand Retailers' Federation in a statement in which it refers to the remarks of Mr. A. M. Hollander in his presidential address to the New Zealand Council of Garment Manufacturers' Federation at Wanganui. The retail-. ers' statement says it would appear that undoubtedly the shortage of labour in mills and factories is the primary cause of the position but if, as Mr. Hollander suggested, the restrictions imposed on manufacturers by the Price Tribunal have forced certain essential garments out of production, then this should be rectified. "It is hard to reeoncile the statement by Mr. Hollander that clothing shortages are more imaginary than real, with the actual position," says the statement. "The retailer, as the final link with the consumer, knows from his own stock position and from the demands of the public, that in

very many items of clothing the shortages are drastic. Mr. Hollander mentions only two items in short supply — men's suits and shirts — but it is an understatement to say stocks are depleted. They are about non-existent. Any retailer and thousands of men could enlighten him about the shortage of sports trousers and coats, worldng trousers, pyjamas, pullovers and other knitwear. j Any mother could point to the j extreme difficulty of outfitting her j children for school. We are informed that in practically every woollen mill looms are idle through lack of labour and in many factories machines are not in use for the same reason. Yet tyre factories, eotton mills and other industries are being set up that will further drain our pool of labour. Most oi these goods can be produced more efficiently and cheaply overseas and it would be better'if the Government permitted their freer importation and allowed those industries more suitable to New. Zealand, to be fully .employed in; tlie production t. of essential goods. ,The import t r'e^fictibfi prevents :Netv Zealand public from obtaining nfany desjr'lafle tiiings butlf has also started |h'e ^rowlh of mqAy| Aineconomic • lndii|tides in this;;d6untry under the complete protection it affords. In the total, .these undertakings, many of them./srnalt in f hemselyes, have further; eohtribtited to t|ie shortages of labour in our more natural industries and the present shortages of goods are therefore

both directly and indirectly attributable to the Government 's policy of import restriction. "