SPRING GOODS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1925, Page 3

SPRING GOODS.

EFFECT OF .SHIPPING HOLD-UP. AYCKI.AND, September 21. The effect of Die shipping strike ibeing felt in varying degrees by trade and industry, hut it would appear that large retail drapery emporiums have been the first to feel the result of the holding up of a number of British ships in New Zealand ports. The shops arc now showing the first of their spring dress goods, those on view having been landed from vessels which made Auckland their first, port of call. Sunn* establishments, however, have new season".- goods aboard the laiutti, now lying idle at Wellington, while otherlaive consignments on ships delayed in various Australian ports. The Taiimi has aboard about 1700 ton- of eat go Nil- Auckland, hut only 20!I tons of thi- represents goods that are urgently wanted and on w hich loss may lie made if they are it"l received in time for til ■ seasonal demand. Importers interested in cargo immediately in demand made an effort to have Auckland cargo in the vessel transhipped aiiiT sent north and to got the assistance of the owners. The hulk of the cargo is of a non-per-ishable nature, and not immediately re ipiired. so that Die owners were n"t disposed to share the cost of sorting at Wellington and the transport shipping company also declined to hear allyshare of Ibis extra cost, so Dial soft goods importers were faced with the alternative ol hearing tin* whole cost and thus losing any profit that tingoods might bring to them, or leaving the cargo in the ship. For the present they have adopted the latter course. Importers in southern centre- arc laced with the same difficulty in regard to cargo aboard vessels delayed nt Auckland. One large Auckland retail firm has about £2OOO worth of goods aboard the Taintti, and as these have liecu paid for. and may yet miss the trade for which they were ordered the threatened his- and the indefinite tying up of so mill'll money is a serious matter. This firm, however, was fortunate in having the hulk of its early spring [roods landed from ships which, were discharged lie fore lying ut). and have so |'ar not boon inconvenienced, anv slowness of trade being attributed i-:i 11 u*r to Die cold and boisterous weather than to the -trike.