TREND OF BUSINESS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20044, 16 September 1939, Page 4

TREND OF BUSINESS

GISBORNE EXPERIENCE PETROL RESTRICTIONS COUNTRY TRADE AFFECTED 0 Though in many linos of business the volume of retail sales has dropped noticeably since the declaration of war, and in some cases trade almost disappeared for a few days, there are plenty of indications that business is returning nearer to normal. Retail establishments in Gisborne had a very good day yesterday, and shops were crowded this morning with shoppers.

The food-supply business has been one in which trade has exceeded normal proportions since the declaration that New Zealand had entered the war. The rush of buying for home consumption was so great that grocers and provision merchants were overwhelmed, and rationing had to be resorted to. The rush has died off, owing to a more sober recognition of the facts by the general public, but business is still keen in lines required for household use. Big Demand for Boots Another form of retail business which received a stimulus from the declaration of war was the boot trade, and shopkeepers in Gisborne lor the past two weeks have done a thriving trade, particularly in footwear from overseas sources. Buyers have exhausted the local stocks of many popular lines, it is reported, and the matter of replacement of stock already is giving concern. General business, too, seems to be recovering quickly from the first shock of the war, and ns people realise that for the time being there are to be no drastic repercussions on their private lives and their incomes, they are spending more freely to cover normal requirements. Effects on Garages The petrol restrictions have been blamed for the worst week’s business in several years, immediately following the application of control of commodities. People who could not get to town simply did not visit the shops, and casual buying was reduced to a minimum. The restrictions also affected the motor garages, and a large number of men were put on a week’s notice from the outset of the regulation period, garage proprietors being convinced that business would not be forthcoming to justify their retention.

Since the partial lifting of the restrictions, the motor trade has taken a decided swing upward again, and there is a prospect of many men being re-engaged for repair work and general servicing of cars and trucks. One garage proprietor said to-day that the improvement had been most marked, and if the regulations could be further relaxed, to-permit of a motorist securing from 15 to 20 gallons per month, the return to normal would be complete in a short time. He was concerned for the staff, as well as for his own business, and he felt that once the country’s wartime requirements were assured, the first act of the. Government should be a further relaxation of control.