SHORTAGE OF DRAPERY.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 December 1919, Page 5

SHORTAGE OF DRAPERY.

POSITION IN CANTERBURY. WHOLESALE SPECULATION.

In certain lines of drapery goods there has never been such a shortage as is the case at present. Reports from Wanganui state that the position is so acute that several drapery firms are flow buying up country stores in order to . secure stocks, and a number of such have been recorded lately. This position is somewhat duplicated ; in Canterbury. During the past track V., one fairly large country drapery store *V has been absorbed by the city concern, for the sole purpose of securing It* stock for the city trade. It is a noticeable fact that where such transactions occur special bargain sales are not now held. If the stocks are in good condition thev are (fuietly absorbed into the stoek o'f the large concerns. The scarcity itself is mainly being felt in woollen goods, but the tendency of the large drapers to buy out suail " concerns has possibly another signiflc- i ance, and one which has a direct bearing -1 on the cost of living problem. if Price? are literally soaring to an un* - precedented level on the Home mm***, in consequence of the abnormal caused by the entry of Europe at a strong buyer. The demand has quite ,« outpaced the supply. It seems only too •/» certain that not only will drapery ana I soft-goods lines be hard to secure in England during 1020, but that prioes to the public in the Dominion wilt perforce be at a much higher level than they have been. Under these conditions it is not surprising to find the large drapers - accumulating stocks from every source possible.

There appears to be, also, a large amount of speculation amongut wholesale houses on lineß actually loaded. Thus one merchant produced evidence of a line which had changed hands three times. This is now loaded with three [successive profits and will, in addition. j eventually bear the selling chaigtv W the retail distributor. This policy of ' the selling and reselling of lines tafore they reach the public, which is inevit* . N able under present conditio])*, naturally . v has a very direct relation s JlUHdimdtt ?l Vu awijtf Ufa*