THE PAPER TROUBLE

Horowhenua Chronicle, 4 May 1916, Page 3

THE PAPER TROUBLE

GREAT SHORTAGE AND INCREASE IN PRICE. The paper eituaition is becoming increasingly difficult all over the world, nowhere more so than in New Zealand. Referring to the position in England a. London paper in. February eaid: — At the present time the Prone oi this country i» confronted with clifficultiee of inenagement which it has never before experienced. Every owner of a publication is faced with a steadily rising bill of coste with comcompensating increase in sales and advertisement revenue. Price* of all necessities which contribute to the getting out of * publicftion vary m increased cost from 5 to 500 per cent. ■ Some o? the items of expenditure «re smell, it is true, but the main charges.

paper and wagee, Tvfiich constitute +-he chief items of expenditure, have increased, and are still increasing, cut of all proportion consistent with permanent sound business conducted on the old linee of successful management. "Aggravating as the dearth of qualified assistants is, punishing as is the constant increase in the cost of labor, these are comparatively minor items when compared with the price of paper, an 3 more still the outlook *or the price of paper. A year ago; or in fact, after the war in progress six months, newspaper could be purchased at the same price as in pre-war days. It was only in ilie spring of last v-ear that prices commenced to rise, and this has continued

with the exception of two or three temporary setbacks, until nw newspaper has risen to a figure which compares with that of twenty-five years ago; in factt, to the elaya when the use of wood pulp for paper-making was in but the experimental stage. "The paper manufacturers, unfortunately, have no control over the causes which are bringing about these higher prices. The paper restrictions, expensive labour, heavy frreighlt rates, costly coal, expensive materials of all descriptions necessary to paper-niak ; ug are the chief oausee which contribute to the difficulties. The constant demand of the Government for shipe, and; still more ships, hae eent freight rates to heights never before anticipated, in the shipping -world. And so long as the scarcity of steamers grows gi eater, and froiglit rates ooatinue to rise, so it is inevitable that the cost of producing newspapers must increase." A number of well-known in Great Britain have ceased publication. One of the latest is the Sunday Freeman, of Dublin, one of the reason* gven being the difficulty of sec ir.nj; sufficient supplies of paper.