PRICE OF TEXTILES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3505, 17 June 1920, Page 6

PRICE OF TEXTILES.

l{§oT'l‘ON GOODS TO COST KORE. ’ A correspondent, “H.R.,” who writes with some authority, has forwarded the following «letter 7130 the editor of the New Zealand Times:—— “A considerable quantity of manufactured goods eonle into this country from Canada. The enclosed extract is from a letter ‘from a large factory, ‘whose goods before the war and during the war, were always able to compete successfully in the matter of price with similar goods, quality for quality, from any country:-~‘l. 11111513 fi1'513 tell you that there is no such thing as counting on deliveries just now. The dullest mill, as the most important, has become so busy that one really cannot count on anything. Cotton and steel are still the worst offenders. We have had four bad cotton crops in success sion until cotton, such as we use, is not to be bought. Some people have paid as high as 1.50 -dol. (US 3(1) 3 pound for very small quantities of 1-3/16 cotton. Staple cotton mills have a fair stock of it, but you can see how they are a,\'eragin»g‘ their purchases every day and constantly putting up the prices of their goods, taking advantage of the great scarcity of same. The United States mills have had trouble, including labour, of all sorts, with the result that not a single house hasanytlling to sell. Conditions, in a. general way, are far from being improved. Latest reports go to show thatlliiglr prices have -only now started; and it is quite on the boards that present prices will be considerably higher before this time "next year. The cause of all this is the industrial unrest, ‘the extreme demands both ill wages and working hours, -and scarcity of both materials and labour. We are not, however, pessimistic as regards! the t'uture, these ‘extremely hard eon-3 (litions make it impossible for anyl other but well-organised factories to‘ carry on.’ . “There is -an impression abroad that prices are about to come down. The wish is father to the thought in all our minds, but the facts do not indicate such recession. -. “In the matter of cotton goods the very opposite seems more likely in the face of such. a statement. from such a. source. If and when such 100 pel' cent. increase occurs, it is to be hoped the public will not be led. to believe it is the retail draper proflteering, for he will be forcedpto accept less than a fair profit to market such goods, as’ in not a "few cases he is already doing to-day, and has been doing before any anti-profiteering machinery »’ was set] up.” I