SIMPLER CLOTHING

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 33, 3 November 1942, Page 4

SIMPLER CLOTHING

Effect Of Specifications REPLY TO CRITICISM Dominion Special Service. CHBISTOHUIIOH, September 2. Referring to comments upon the specifications for the simplification of clothing appearing in some sections of the Press, the'Minister of Supply, Mr. Sullivan, said that on the whole the restrictions had (been well received its necessary measures that would make more essential clothing available, by effective useful economies in materials. Referring to published comment by a draper, Mr, 'Sullivan said: “There is no provision in the specifications which will restrict the-reinforcement of shirt neck bands as suggested. The criticism appears to Ibe based on a proposal contained in an advance copy of the draft specifications subsequently amended. That advance draft was issued for the confidential information of manufacturers and traders and contained a clear statement that it was strictly confidential, not for publication and seeking comment from experts and affected interests. The published comment is therefore both a misstatement of fact and a breach of confidence. “Admittedly,” the Minister continued, “the same saving in material will not be made in the case of suits cut from, single lengths. It is not correct to state, however, as appeared to be suggested in a statement attributed to ‘a prominent tailor,’ that all bespoke tailored suits are made'up from single suit Lengths. Many are made from bolts of material. Consequently, only a negligible proportion of the total number of suits manufactured over next year will fail to yield the saving in material which the simplification will make possible. Generally, it is suggested that a saving should not be made on 95 or 90 of each 100 suits if it cannot be made on the remaining five or 10. This aspect of the question referred to by the promient tailor was fully considered by a committee of experts and representatives of all parties and the decision made was approved by them. “One of the newspapers concerned commences its sub-leader by exhorting the 'Government through the Price Tribunal to ensure that the consumer will share in the benefit of any reduced costs which may result from the simplification and concluded the same article with a protest that the Government should not have left it to the manufacturers and users to conform to simpler clothing standards.” This suggestion, the Minister said, was out of accord with the sentiment of those most concerned, who were almost unanimously of opinion 'that without Government sanction and enforcement the simplification provisions would be quite ineffectual. Prevailing Viewpoint. It was'also out of line with the prevailing viewpoint that obtained within almost every sphere of trade and industry throughout Britain, U.S.A., Australia, aud Canada regarding the need for and method of applying principles of standardization and simplification, in a report recently to hand the Office of Price Administration of the United States was on record as stating “that the War Production Board order simplifying styles will save from 5 to 15 per cent, of the cloth used in each garment. The saving will help manufacturers to absorb increased costs of materials and labour and still supply the consumer with a fully comparable garment at last year’s price.” „ “It may interest critics 1 to know, said Mr. Sullivan, “that of two manufacturers in New Zealand producing men’s clothing- on a large scale, one reports that a preliminary examination ot the regulations has enabled him to decide to reduce his price by 7 J per cent. He said also that his output in men’s trousers will be increased by 6 per cent. ’The second manufacturer expressed the opinion that the outer material saved will amount to from 5 to G per cent., thus enabling him to produce 105 or 106 suits from the amount of material from which he previously produced 100. “Men’s clothing offers much let's scope for simplification than women's. It appears that the all-over gain should be considerably over 6 per cent. The statement of 5 to 15 per cent, saving of material estimated by the United Stales War Production Board does not. appear, therefore, Io -he at all wide of the murk. The significance of this saving will be better appreciated when seen in relation to the probable total saving. The Government Statistician's figures show the value, of the clothing factory output for civilian purposes for the year 1940-41 .at £5,900,000, the retail value of which would be approximately double this figure, or £11.800.000, a 6 per cent, saving on which would exceed £700,000 per annum. The over-all gain over mens :ui(l women’s clothing would probably be nearer 10 per cent, than 6 per cent., which could increase the saving to within the vicinity of £1,200,000 per annum. “The most important aspect of the saving is, however, that it will make more essential garments available to the people. It is most important,’’ coneluded the Minister, “that there should be the utmost conservation of existing stocks, and the advice of the trade experts to the Government was that; the regulations) as drafted were those best calculated to achieve that end.’’