SHORTAGE OF SCHOOL CLOTHES

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5328, 14 February 1947, Page 6

SHORTAGE OF SCHOOL CLOTHES

POSITION NEVER WORSE ROTORUA SUPPLIERS IN QUANDARY V • ''The position has never been 1 worse." 'There must be a very good reason for the shortage, but it is beyond me." "One pair . of school shorts only." "School hose, we haven't had any for two years." These are just a few of the statements made by Rotorua drapers yesterday, when asked to comment on their present supply position an'd and stoeks of school children's wear. Supplies, vvhere they exist, are seanty in the extreme, and one draper pointed to a lone pair of navy blue shorts on a shelf, all by themselves, and explained that this was his entire stock. School eaps are a thing of the past, as are ties and coloured belts. A few black leather -belts are still at large. Coloured top sox are also now fast becoming a uart of the limbo of forgitten things. Most ^Rotorua drapers have no sox at all for sale, but one had a few pairs of plain 'black hose. Navy blue school shirts hav.e not been seen in sliops for a matter of months. With the nevvs that pupils of Ihe Rctorua Iligh Schpol are now permitted to wear khaki short« and shirts, many long-suflering and tiring parents breathed a sigh of relief, hut this is really not a solulion to the problem. Khaki clothes are scarce too! One retailer stated that he had a few pairs of khaki shorts, but doubted very. much if there was a shop in town able to supply a khaki shirt. This was the same attitude at all shops visited. A few pairs of shorts, but shirts — no ! Girl pupils timi themselves placed in m ach the same position. Gyni tunics are scare, but not unobtainable. One store reported having a medium supply, but only in sizes from j 39 to 42. Other stofes had none at I all. Blouses? Well, they are scarce | too, and the only ones that the j reporter saw during his tour were i huckabaek ones, and they were'"at a I minimum. Pehoolgirls' hose is obtain- ! able at odd times. Most stores have | none at present. i On being asked- the reason for the j shortages, managers and assistants ' were puzzled. "There is only one solution," said one, ''the clothes just aren't being made. The position is the same all over the conntry." Another said that in his opinion the goods were not behig manufactured hecause the price of the bullc material wa« so high that when the articles were made up, the price would be far beyond the average New Zealander's pocket. "You can sum up the position," he said, "quite easily when you realise that parents whose children attend boarding sehools which in norma! times proeure unifcrms for all their pupils, are being toki hy headmasters and matrons to try to purchase the iTiiiforms themselves. "It is a matter of 'scroungcv Parents throughout the whole country are on the scrounge." Retailers were not optimistic over future supplies, and could not see an . easing of the situation for some time. i - .-A-