TYRE SHORTAGE MAY CONTINUE THIS YEAR

Chronicle (Levin), 9 January 1947, Page 4

TYRE SHORTAGE MAY CONTINUE THIS YEAR

-Press Association

british expert's opinion.

By Telearavh—

WELLINGTON, Jan. 8. The pbssibility of a fairly plentiful supply of tyres for motor cars this year, as was antieipated in 1946, is not going to be realised, according to Mr. H. C. (.'hapman, who arrived in Wellington by the Dominion Monarch to assume the post of saies director for Dunlop Nelr Zealand, Ltd. While the rubber situation had ea-ied, said Mr. Chapman today, there. was a definite shortage of tyre cord, both cottoii and rayon, due to ari enhanced deniand. In addition, he said, there was a serious shortage of labour in the Dtiblin spinning seetion of the heavy cord industry. "Actually, there is no shortage of cotlon," said Mr. Chapman, "rather does the difficulty arise in the manufaeturing stnge. This means that production programmes of tyres visualised in all mantif'actured countries will be exceedirrgly difficult to aehieve this year. " "Industry in Britain is getting baclc on its feet gradually,^' he said, "but reconversion will probably be niore difficult there tlian.in iiiany .countries, becauhe the whdlejfor produetiun v.was geared tp the w^r 'effort. - Howev^ in the genekil. t ^kgijigmuver consicfeliable progress has fefeeff -inade. , ; Th&" biggestfacfofs, of couf.se, 'are a shortage of fabonr, and a difficulty in obtaining new equipment sufficiently quicklv. " While the British people Were cerlainly not starving, he said, they Were ' ' hoartily tired of the monotony of their diet: they had still to qxieite up for non-rationed goods. "People are just tired of it," said Mr. Chapman, ' Vand particularly the housewife. I feel that the burden of war has fallen more heavily on -.her shoulders than upon those of arivone else. The British housewife is still having a trying time. It is practicallv impossible to get any help in the home, and she has still to economise, as she did during the war, in order to provide her family with meals. " A beginning had been made with the erection of his company's new factory af Upper Hutt. When working at full capaeity, he said, it was hoped that about 500 worlters would be'emploved. A Londoner by birth, hrr. Chapman Cwho has been in the employ of Dunlop for 23 years) inteads to malce his home in Wellington. This is his first visit Jo New Zealand Prior to leaving England he was assistant overseas saies manager for his company.