THE BOOT AND SHOE TRADE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 170, 18 July 1907, Page 2

THE BOOT AND SHOE TRADE.

(To the Editor.) Sir.—The report of the meeting held by the boot and shoe retailers states, briefly, that local manufacturers are unable to fill orders, owing to a shortage of machinists, and that the operatives would not consent to the manufacturers getting a supply of machinists in Australia, hence the necessity of keeping the duty on the imported article at ths present low rate. Mention was made, too, of the fact that simultaneous with the advent of a- prohibitive duty would come a combine of manufacturers to the detriment of the retailers regarding the inability to fill orders, and yet manufacturers have still got their travellers scouring the country. Wnat has happened is this: a shopkeeper gets an order for a pair of boots that he has not in stock, and he orders a single pair. The manufacturer, if slack, or from a diplomatic point of view, may fill it, bnt he swears all the same. its a perpetual wonder to the operatives why the masters have not put their foot down on this pernicious system before. With regard to the question of bringing machinists from Australia the only mention made of the matter at the confer- i ence between masters and men was the Masters' president's remark, that there was no inducement for machinists to come from Australia here, for they were earning as much or more theTe as here. What the operatives would not agree to was urging the Government to bring out a number of machinists under the Assisted Immigration scheme, a vastly different jnatter. With regard to the coming of the trust in our trade, I consider that it is sure to come, and the sooner it comes the better, lam writing from an operative's point of view. My personal opinion is that only a trust can put a stop to the excessive waste of energy that is to-day robbing the real maker of boots of a reasonable rate of pay. There is to-day only one position in this trade that is coveted, and that is retailing. The men are growling; the manufacturers say they are between the devil and the deep sea, but the retailer eoines along, contented j and happy. Just for the moment he has a careworn look", for he is wondering how Parliament will take his appeal (with its half-truths) to leave things as they are. The time is very near when .master, men, Parliament and public will !recognsse tb%.fc it is manifestly unfair ior the retailer, to get more profit for

selling a boot than the whole cost of making, finishing, and delivering. Yes, sir, I regard the trust as The only logical finale of competition, but the trust that will manufacture for utility will he the finale of all, and God speed "its coming.— I am, etc., GEO. A. PARKE.