SWEETS BEING RATIONED

Southland Times, Issue 24890, 2 November 1942, Page 3

SWEETS BEING RATIONED

SHOPS WITH EMPTY JARS

(Special) AUCKLAND, October 31. Alarm at the prospect of any further reduction in supplies of sweets has been expressed by Auckland confectioners, who point to lines of empty jars and bare shelves as an indication of how their business already has been restricted. Visiting servicemen, many of whom are fond of “candy,” have added to the demand. The situation has aroused a good deal of resentment among customers, many of whom refused to believe stocks were not being held in reserve.

“We actually spend more time in refusing them than in making sales,” said one Queen street confectioner. The allowance was now little more than a third of what had previously been supplied by the manufacturers. It seemed, too, that the very hint of restrictions made people keener to buy. Another factor was undoubtedly the rationing of family supplies of sugar for puddings, biscuits and cakes. That was almost certain to create a demand for sugar in another form, the most obvious of which was chocolate or other confections.

With supplies now being provided by the manufacturers only once a month, it had become imperative for shopkeepers to make their own allotments from day to day, the confectioner added. When the day’s allowance was sold customers had to be turned away unless the shopkeeper was willing to go without for the rest of the four-week period. To eke out the supply most of the shops had adopted the practice of not selling more than a shilling’s worth to each customer.

The position concerning ice cream and soft drinks was not more satisfactory, said a woman shopkeeper. They were alternatives to sweets, and the same effect was noticed. The previous night she had exhausted her supply of ice cream almost two hours before closing time and had almost nothing in the shape of confectionery to sell. A further reduction would make the business practically not worthwhile. WELLINGTON FIRM’S PROBLEM (Special) WELLINGTON, October 31. Because of the big cut in the sugar allowance, the confectionery business has been considerably curtailed. One old-established business in Wellington has been forced to close its doors for three days each week for lack of supplies. “One of the troubles I can see ahead,” said one of the heads of this firm, “is the payment of rates. We pay nearly £5OO a year rates on our building, which is partly let to other tenants. But some of these tenants have been called up for national service, or their business has gone to the wall through lack of subsidies, so that our rents do not help us a great deal. As for ourselves, no business that is cut down by half can make ends meet.”