The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, MAY 6, 1916. THE PAPER SHORTAGE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 27, 6 May 1916, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, MAY 6, 1916. THE PAPER SHORTAGE.

The serious inconvenience which the paper shortage is causing to newspaper proprietors is, at least in a casual way, known to most people, but how the shortage lias extended to almost every business "dll come as a surprise. The London correspondent of the Lyttelton Times in touching on the matter says that there is no doubt that the limitation of paper supplies will necessitate a somewhat drastic revision of some details in shopkeeping, especially among grocers and provision merchants. In recent years there has been a prodigality.in the use of paper wrappers, and- in bags almost amounting to waste on the part of the shopkeeper, and customers have been educated npj

to expecting so much-to be done for. them that it will be somewhat difficult to impress upon many of them the; necessity for restricting the use of | paper in every form. Yet this willj have to be done by the shopkeepers j [generally if they are to safeguard the already strictly limited margin of profit, and if they are to prevent them- 1 selves from being left without stocks of paper at the most awkward moment. The experience of bakers, j who, when shop-customers have de-j manded loaves to be weighed, have i withheld the courtesy of a bag, has ( proved that by adopting a strong line, the shopkeeper has been able to per-j 1 suede the customer of the reasonable-j i ness of the former’s attitude. While 1 it, is not suggested that grocers [should, or would want to, supply i goods entirely innocent of wrappers, lor bags, there is room for a considerable economy in this line. In tbis| connection the Metropolitan Grocers’j Association has issued the following • card to members:—“Defence of the Realm : In consequence of the short-j age of wrapping paper, bags, etc., arising out of the restriction of the importation of raw materials by the ! Government for national purposes, I our customers will greatly assist in I war time by, as far as possible, supi plying their own receptacle;', in which ’ the goods can be placed. Owing to 1 4 i

the enlistment of su largo a portion of our regular staff the Homo Secretary authorises an appeal to our customers, as far as possible, to carry away their parcels, thus saving to some extent the costly labour ol sending at frequent intervals."