DEARER CLOTHES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 118, 15 November 1939, Page 11

DEARER CLOTHES

NEXT YEAR'S FRIGES

MANUFACTURER'S FORECAST

(Special to the 'Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This Day

' "A very substantial rise in the price of clothing may be expected in New Zealand.nexbyear, solely through the Government- issuing, third period import licences so late that * Dominion importers missed the market," said an Auckland manufacturer of women's clothing yesterday. He said that judging by the increased cost of imported cloth, artificial silk and woollen goods goods were likely to rise by 25 to 35 per cent., and cotton by very much more.

"Importers were not allowed to order for next winter at the usual ;time, the end of'last winter," the manufacturer continued.- "The result, is that we have entirely missed the market, and many manufacturers' in England will not quote at allf-, If they db quote, however,' their prices are greatly increased. This statement is - based on accurate, information, including cablegrams received from England in the last few days.. -"Thus, if we are to maintain our! quality, which we are unwilling- to sacrifice, and to continue \o give. the public fair value for money, we.haye5) to cut down our output. That is. obvious, because to buy the same class j of goods at an increased price 'means less material when the amount' thatj may be spent on imports is rigidlycontrolled by the Government. REDUCTION OF STAFF. "I expect to have to put off about one-third of my staff shortly , Sfter Christmas," he said. "I have already adyised some of them that I will be unable to carry them all, as there will simply not be the material for them to work witli when present stocks are exhausted. I am not reducing staff before Christmas as we have .enough material to carry on with meanwhile." Some'specific instances of increased., costs of imported "materials were quoted. The manufacturer said that one line was being landed until recently at 2s lid a yard, and it now cost'4s. This made a difference of 4s 6d in material alone in the price of a frock, and in addition there were the greatly-increased landing charges to be faced in determining tlie retail price, even assuming that the cost of manufacture did not rise, which was ■got definite. , "., -The higherprices;he con tinned, were the result of: the war, but the New Zealand,Government,must accept the blame for these prices having to be paid, on third-period imports. If the licences had been issued at the proper time, importers could have bought at the pre-war rates. "The increased cost of woollen goods is even more, because jn many cases English mills which could have quoted three months ago will'not quote at all now," he saicl.' Orie instance was given in : which, a i^ewZealririd'iriariMfacturer had had to.be content with 75000 yards of cloth less' than his: usitjsl,; requirements; because of the higher prices and the ..difficulty., of obtaining Supplies./ \ It -was"emphasised by the manufacturer . that. Higher profits were .not being Sought in New Zealand.: The rises in price which'he Jorecast wpiild be solely: the resuU.of very'rnuch.'higher.costs, .bpth,.in; i :Ne^^^ Zeal&d~'iarid lhjfenglaridv