SUPPLIES OF WOOLLENS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2412, 18 March 1915, Page 7

SUPPLIES OF WOOLLENS

LARGE ORDER FOR NEW ZEALAND MILLS. .(By Megrapn—Press Association.) . . Auckland, March 17.' A' representative of ther Federal Government arrived by the Riverina in order to'purchase supplies of woollens for the Australian Army. He has placed orders for 96,000 navy sweaters, 212,000 knitted underpants, 200,000 knitted shirts, 240,000 pairs socks, and ; 1,112;000 yards flannel. The last item alone will cost £60,000. It is doubtful if the whole of the mills of New , Zealand can supply- the order. A representative of the Bruce Woollen Mills states that at present' mer- ; chants and millers are putting up with inconvenience and loss of trade in or- , .der to supply the requirements of our . own Forces. Australia's demand accen- [ tuates the position and will 'mean the curtailing of requirements of the Do--1 minion and the "raising of prices'until they, become almost prohibitive. The i Federal Government is prepared to aci cept 10 per cent, cotton mixture, but > the New Zealand duty of'4d. per lb. . oa raw cotton shuts that out. He sug-: [ gested that the Government should lift the duty, thus enabling returning troop- . ships to bring supplies from Egypt.