SILK STOCKINGS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 December 1940, Page 10

SILK STOCKINGS

WOMEN ASKED TO CHANGE iTO WOOL. IN-FURTHERANCE OF WAR EFFORT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. An appeal to women to buy fewer silk stockings, and a suggestion that they might consider wearing fine woollen ones were contained in a reply made by the Minister of Customs, Mr Nash, to an urgent question asked by Mr Lee (Democratic Labour, Grey Lynn), on behalf of Mr Barnard (Democratic Labour, Napier), in the House of Representatives yesterday. The Minister’s remarks were greeted by cries of “hear, hear,” from both sides of the House. Mr Lee asked whether the Minister would take immediate steps to meet the impending acute shortage in the Dominion of women’s silk and artificial silk hose. He said that owing to present working hours and to lack of labour, partly due to the calling up of men for military service, New Zealand hosiery manufacturers were unable to meet the demand. It was also stated that 103,000. dozen fewer pairs were imported for the first nine months of the present year compared with the whole of 1939. He was reliably informed that it was becoming increasingly difficult to supply the customary public demand. “At the moment munitions are very much more in reasonable demand for our sterling funds than stockings," the Minister said, in suggesting that women should wear fine woollen stockings. He stated that production in the Dominion during the last two years, on the estimate for the present year, had gone up by 123.000 dozen pairs. Imports had gone down by 163,000 dozen pairs. Figures for last year showed that the imports were 120,000 dozen pairs of silk hose, and that New Zealand production was 216,000 dozen pairs. The New Zealand estimate for the present year was 289,500 dozen pairs.

“Imports of silk and artificial silk hosiery are not at present being permitted,” Mr Nash continued. “It is considered preferable to expend available funds on the provision of materials for use in the production of hos-' iery in New Zealand factories, thereby creating employment and at the same time effecting a saving in foreign exchange. The reduction in imports of hosiery has been offset to a large extent by increases in local production, though the figures available indicate that there is probably still a margin to be covered if the full demand is to be met by local industry. “Production has been affected to some extent by conditions arising from the war, particularly the depletion of staffs as a result of members joining the armed forces,” the Minister added. “I understand that arrangements are being made for the manufacture of hosiery to be extended in 1941, and when these arrangements materialise it is expected that the supplies available from local industry should be adequate to meet requirements. .1 would appeal to the patriotism of buyers of silk hosiery and ask them not to buy so many pairs because at that point we have more money overseas to finance the war.” he concluded. Mr Doidge (Opposition, Tauranga): “What about Christmas stockings?” Mr Broadfoot (Opposition, Waitomo): “Use a sugar-bag.”