CLOTHES RATIONING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 June 1942, Page 4

CLOTHES RATIONING

NOT IN OPERATION VET IN AUSTRALIA COUPON BOOKS TO BE ISSUED SHORTLY. INTEREST IN NEW ZEALAND SCHEME. (Special P. A. Correspondent.) (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Keen interest is evident here in all details of New Zealand’s clothes rationing. The introduction of the system without prior warning is generally applauded. Clothing sales throughout Australia have returned to normal and the public is now awaiting the -announcement of the coupon scale, which is expected to be made this week. Australian 'ration books, to be 'distributed on June 14 and 15 have been printed. They contain 268 coupons. Though no plans have been made for rationing commodities other than tea and clothes, it‘is stated that a. proportion of'the coupons is for-other commodities or articles which may yet be rationed. Identity or aliens registration cards must be produced before ration books will be issued. -Retail stores will be able to write cheques for clothes or ration coupons when buying from factories and warehouses. The Commonwealth and trading banks having agreed to receive coupons in bulk from retailers, the banks will issue certificates to retailers showing the amount of coupons they have lodged. When ordering, a retailer will produce this certificate and write his cheque, authorising the bank 'to pay the warehouse the required number of coupons. These will'in turn'be passed to the Clothing Commission, Which will collect and check' the coupons. The Director bf Rationing is Dr. H. Coombs, a senior Treasury official and doctor of philosophy. Dr. Coombs is the father of a young -family and it is therefore generally conceded that he is thoroughly conversant with all the problems of family clothing.