STANDARDISED BOOTS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16426, 21 January 1919, Page 6

STANDARDISED BOOTS.

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT OF BOARD OF TRADE. (special to "the press.") WELLINGTON, January 20. The schomo for the manufacture of standardised boots is being opposed by some of the Christchurch. boot manufacturers, on the ground that now the war is over, the scheme is no longer nosdod. The boot manufacturers suggest. that the Government should first regulate the price of leather, and also that the boot trade should not be tho only industry to suffer this interference. Tho President of the Board of Trado (tho Hon. AV. D. S. Mac Donald) said to-day that he thought this was tho chief difficulty at present. "Prior to the signing of the armistice," said the "Minister, <- I understood that the majority of the boot manufacturers were in favour of the scheme. The working up of tho scheme to its presont state has taken much time and effort, and the members of the Board of Trade are of opinion that it will be in tho interests of the people of tho country to give offoct to it. Immediately the Board returns to "Wellington we hope to have something definite done. We are advised by Mr Ward, the expert who lias been assisting the Board of Trade in this matter, that it should be possible to havo these standardised boots 011 tho market about March next, but there aro so many difficulties that haste is undesirable. It would bo better to delay the thing for a month, if by so doing wo could ensure that we could float it with a good prospect of success. "I understand that there will be a conference of boot manufacturers in Dunedin on Wednesday next, at which Mr Ward will be present as ono of the delegates from Wellington. The conference will consider the Government's proposals. "We havo not yet decided at what price tho boots shall be sold. Samples of all classes of boots, except women's, have been prepared for submission to the manufacturers in the four centres, and tho samples of women's boots will be ready very soon. The manufacturers will be asked to look at these samples, and to say which they aro prepared to make, and at what price. When this information is the Board of Trado will be in a position to fix the retail prices. "The objection of the boot manufacturers about the price of leather will have tho attention of tho Board of Trade. If it is found that tho price of leather has boen raised without just cause, then the price will have to come down again. I agree with the manufacturers, that unless the price of leather is to be kept steady, the scheme will not work. As soon as tho Board of Trade comes back from the Wost Coast this question of tho price of leather will be investigated. It may be that the basis upon which Mr Ward has beon working in reckoning tho prices to bo charged for boots will not have to be altered."