16,000 PRAMS A YEAR

Chronicle (Levin), 16 November 1946, Page 5

16,000 PRAMS A YEAR

—Press Association

By Telegraph -

WELLIXGTOX, Xov. lo. Xcav Zealand pram nianufacturer.-. are coping with an unprecedeuted de mand for prams, estiniated at the rau of 16,000 a -year. They expeet this to be followed by a eorresponding deniand later for push-ehairs and strollers, ami are planning aecordinglv. The exeeutive of the Xew Zealand Perambulator and Wiekerwork Manu facturers7 Federation at a meeting yesterday received reports that the current enthusiasm for marriage wa. keeping factories working at f'ull pres sure. The industrv eonsidered that 11 was its duty to provide a pram for everv baby recpiiring one. Xo motlier Avas being kept waiting. It was estiniated that the price or prams had risen 45 to 50 per cent. sinee 193S, but this was eonsidered to be very reasonable in the light of inereases of up to 100 per cent. and more in tlie" cost of raw materials, and inereases in the cost of labour. The habit of carryiiig pareels in prams was reported to be causing a heavy wear and tear which prams would not normally have to bear. 0atisfaction was expressed at the removal of the 20 per cent. saies tax on prams. This had been regarded as a direct tax on families.

King Farouk, in q speech at the opening of Parliament, said he eixtertained great hope that the negotiations with Britain would be erowned with sucecss and would eonsolidate the.real friendship between England and Egypt by the conclusion of a treaty of alliance.