PRINTING AND PRICES.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 519, 1 April 1920, Page 2

PRINTING AND PRICES.

When (Ik> average merchant is notified hv his wholesale dealers that :i given commodity has been incieasid in price, lie merely prints a new !trice ticket for that commodity r.i.d passes the increase on to the public. which is all lie can do. But print - ( rs and new*papet proprietors genet - : lly wait until they have gotten themselves into financial dilliculties before they adopt the course of raisini; the retail prices. Thus we have the spectacle of three newspapers going out of business during the last three months, and two of them within the past few weeks. In no trade have prices advanced so sharply as in the printing t.'ade, where the int [-eases on the various lines of stationery range from 100 to 800 per rent, over 1911 figures. Not only have pi'iees soared amazingly, but the goods cannot be obtained in many

lines. At one time a letter to a merchant asking; for given lines of stationery would mean that the Roods arrived next day, but at the* time the general reply is that the lines required are not in stock, it a representative of the firm goes into the city and inspects the goods in the warehouse he occasionally finds that the goods are there right enough, but the merchant, anticipating a further rise in prices, is not anxious to sell. The buyer has to beg for them at the merchant s price The same thing applies to metal and printing machinery. A few ao-o the "Times purchased a linograph to set the type for the paper, though the price, was fairij stifl. Nevertheless, we considered it likely that there would be any ieduct ion for some years yet, and that increases were likely, so we bought, and the machine is giving every satisfaction. It was fortunate for us that we did not wait, because we have just received advice that the selling price of linographs has been rdvanced by £20(1! Wages have advanced considerably also. Duaing the past twelve months compositors have been awarded war bonuses aggregating' 16s 6d, which f>re still in operation, and increases of £1 a week in wages, making a total increase of £1 16s 6d per week. Further rises are pending. Under such conditions it is no wonder that newspapers will not now tolerate long credits, and that, like eve it other trading concern, thev arc compelled to make substantial increases in their charges.