DRAPERY PRICES.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1918, Page 6

DRAPERY PRICES.

A PROBLEM FOll THE WOMEN. The Wanganui Chronicle lias seen a letter just received from London (dated July 23rd) by the manager of one of the largest drapery firms along this coast; and the contents indicate still further serious advances. Buyers for JTew Zealand houses, according to the letter, have the utmost difficulty with the winter buying; in fact, manufacturers cannot supply certain lines, which have to be bought through the warehouses. "Woollen hosiery," the writer states, "will soon be unobtainable under 45s dozen." Hosiery that is selling retail in Wanganui at 2s Cd per pair, will he unprocurable, wholesale, I under 5s 6d per pair, so that with freights, etc., added, it seems likely that the women folk will have to pay something like Ss 6d per pair for stockings or, may be, wear sandals and painted legs! Considering that so many ladies go stoekingless during the sum'mer at Castleeliff, it might not be considered a hardship if they extended their '■' cast off clothing" parade to the Avenue. ' The letter, which is most interesting from standpoints other than that of "shop," indicates t'nat shipping is goling to improve, and while New Zealand is lucky in the big prices it is getting for its produce, consumers in London have to pay very heavily for fruit, jam, etc. The writer says: "There will not be haif enough jackets in New Zealand to go round next winter. There are plenty of boats leaving here the next few weeks to bring back the wool and meat you have been accumulating, so New Zealand slhould have plenty of money on account of the high prices. "The war is going better for ns just now. We are hoping we shall be able to finish the job this time and make an end of Germany for many years, or at any rate, her military class. Her people must be a bad lot, or they would never have sacked every house and village they Siave gone into. "We are having very bad weather here this month and it is going to be bad for the harvest and food.

"We oan get no jam or syrup now, jnor fruit except at big prices. Fancy no fruit in England! Bananas arc selling at 5d and Cd each; cherries 3s lb; a few strawberries now and then from 2s to 3s lb; butter, 2s fid lb; bacon, 2s 4d lb; eggs, (supposed to be the plentiful season) 5d and Cd each; potatoes 2d to 3d lb. This will give you some idea of what we have to put up with on account of the war.

"The tasstion is becoming unbearable, Fancy Cs in the £ income tax; 8s lOd in the £ rates. All railway fares are up 50 per cent. The trains are very few and far between, and usually crowded.

"You are indeed lucky to be out of it in New Zealand, although I must say the people are showing a line spirit, They are not grumbling much, and they are fully determined to see the tiling through to the bitter end. "Our airplanes are now getting to work in Germany in real earnest, and we hope they will give the Huns some of their own back again, with interest, as they are now finding out to their cost. However, they cannot say anything about reprisals, as they themselves started the game. "Your goods are going out fairly well now, but you arc not buying half enough this side, and you will speedily find this out when your supplies cannot be obtained. I suppose you tiiibk your stock is enough, but you wili find it is the man with the goods every time. Stocks will be speedily realised when people come to find there is likely to be a famine in raw materials."