HIGH PRICE OF SUITS.

Taihape Daily Times, 26 September 1919, Page 3

HIGH PRICE OF SUITS.

FURTHER INCREASE LIKELY

A CHRISTCHURCH PREDICTION

CHRISTCHURCH, Sépt. 23.

The manner in which the prices Of tailor—made suits are advancing appears to have had the inevitable effect of increasing the sales or I'eady-madr and cheaper garments.

Tailor-made suits are now selling in the city from £7 7/‘ to £ls 15,’ while ready-made clothes are realising from £3 19/6 to £6 6/ But although the ready-made artféle is gaining in favoux-,‘ta-ilors maintain that wirh -. certain and large class of customer they have no more trouble in securina, orders for a suit which may cost any thing from 12 to 13 guineas than they would have had before the War in selling; a; six—guinca suit .

In stating that suits were likely to become slightly dearer within about six months or so. a city tailor said that certain imported lines of material showed a distinct tclldency to advance in price." This was noticeable in t‘h~‘ case of blue serges. eH had booked orders for six months ahead; but after that period mattcl's were too uncertain for speculation. He sold tailor-made suits at 7 guineas to £ll. In the case of New Zcaland matcr-' ials, he could makesuits as a rule from £7 7/ to £8 8/, but to many people the price seemed a S(‘.Co.“.dm‘y <=on-.<fl-oration. As a rule, the single man was the best customer_

Men who had just returned from the front were also usually good custa. mers. These men often came to him with an order from the Government. Worth £5 ,and possibly a grant of £5 from thn patriotic fund. They would Luy a ten guinea suit, and. possih!_\i within two months would come in for another’. which they would pay for ort of.thcir own money. - .The recent acquisition of mills by warreliouse concerns, it was stated was net to the advantage of the trade 0: the public. “It will inevitably mean? dlaarcl" materials, for Clothes will now’ have to carry warehouse charges” said‘ one-'tailor. “Thus, as an Auckland fil‘n;i’ has Secured the O.’-Imal'u- and Tl3‘ iilélru mills, most of the output will n’oW"go to the Northern centre. On‘.’‘-' one large oSuthern mill and a smaller‘ 01‘i9"’Ilo\~' deal direct with the retail: G-lass; ' -.

f":lt“Wag thought in the trade, in :io.di—tidii, that in the case of the Oama xi‘ a"l'ld‘Timarli mills’, the charactn-.~ cf theiié-A outputs would now be soiiievxliéfi‘ changed, each mill specialising in ‘ii différent class of goods. ' "