DRAPERY PRICES

Levin Daily Chronicle, 31 August 1918, Page 1

DRAPERY PRICES

A SERIOUS INCREASE. INTERESTING FIGURES. SHOWING HUGE MANUFACTURING ADVANCES. During the past week a number of managers of largo drapery establishments in New Zealand met at Wanganui to consider tho prices of drapery, and to consider future operations. The managers in question arc all connected with the firm of McGruer and Co., and an interesting conference resulted, which, it is hoped, will reflect upon the trade and be of benefit to consumers during the trying times ahead. There is no doubt that the steady increase in the price of various articles has caused some considerable uneasiness in the minds of the public generally, and in respect to cotton goods tho increase has been most marked. It has been suggested that the public are paying higher prices, in proportion to the increases paid by wholesale houses, than are perhaps justified. A ".Chronicle" reporter made a number of investigations, and ascertained that large profits, if made at all, arc being made by the manufacturers in England, and not by the wholesale or retail houses in this Dominion, so far as cotton goods arc concerned. A most interesting table of -market prices of leading specialities has been compiled, showing the prices actually charged by the manufacturers at Home —and exclusive of freight charges, etc. In 1905. for instance, patent satin quilts (Tulip 12s 4d) were 8s 7d each, in 1914 they had gone up to lis 2d, and in June of this year the manufacturers were charging 30s 6d each. Coloured AHi a nibra quilts (Gordon 12s 4d) were 5s SJ/L>d5 J /L>d each in 1905, 7s Id in 1914, and 2(>s in June of this year. The following figures show the increases in other lines: —

.White Turkish towels (Osman 8): — 1905, 12s Csd doz.; 1914, 14s 3d; 1918, 32s Od. Striped Turkish towels (7 stripe): •is doz.; 10s 3d; 3Ss. Brown linen pile (L 3): 15s 9d doz.; I.Bs lid; SSs Od. Bleached sheeting (SOin. T44): — 13%(I yard; 3s (id yard. Silvashecn (SS 700): Od yard; lOd. ' Flannelette (BD 70): Od yard; 6%d; 20% d. lloyle's print (F): 4%d yard; 4 9-16; 15d. It will be readily seen that the high prices quoted by the English manufacturers in 191S, as compared with even four years ago, cannot but have a correspondingly large increase to the public in New Zealand. The warehouseman interviewed by our representative, stated that were it not for the fact that there is a tendency among wholesale dealers to conserve stocks, the prices would have gone up even higher. Where it has been possible to manufacture articles in Now Zealand, tho increase, of course, has naturally been much less. For instance, in regard to men's hosiery, a New Zcaluad mill is turning this out at 23s 0d per dozen, .vhereas for a much inferior article the English manufacturer is asking 35s per • lozen. Unfortunately, however, the Xew Zealand mills cannot turn oct the quantify which would be necessary to ilo without the imported articles. Despite the demand for the articles in question, and the increased cost of production, there hos been no increase in lien's socks since July of last year.

The prices of felt hats have' now reached such a high figure that the . xecutivc of the British Felt Hat Manufacturers' Federation has issued a statement showing the percentage of advance which had taken place since the war began in raw materials, etc., employed in the industry at Home. Apart from this relation to the industry !of erred to, the figures are rather inI ••resting. The advances are as follows: Furs 150 per cent., wool 75, shellac 200, Mack dyestuffs ,350, coloured dyestuffs ;~00, trimmings 75 to 100, methylated spirits 250, sulphuric acid 105, salt, soda, borax 100, coal 90, water 33 1-3, electric power 15, elcetric lighting 10, 20, labour 5—20, packing materials -00, and card-board boxes 60 per cent.