NEW ZEALAND FOOTWEAR

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23968, 8 June 1943, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND FOOTWEAR

STANDARD OF PRODUCT DEFENDED “Statements which, with the comment they aroused, were liable to establish an impression in the public’s mind that a type of ‘shoddy’ footwear was being manufactured in New Zealand have not been allowed to pass unchallenged. The footwear manufacturers, through their controlling body, have taken up the matter, and, feeling that a serious reflection has been cast upon the industry by criticism which, in its reference to the use of cardboard, bears no foundation on fact, their federation after full consideration and inquiry gives a pointed denial to the allegations,” says a bulletin issued by the New Zealand Footwear Manufacturers’ Federation, the executive of which recently considered statements made at the annual meeting of the Dominion Boot Trades’ Association, concerning the alleged use of cardboard in the manufacture of footwear in New Zealand. „ , The executive of the New Zealand Footwear Manufacturers’ Federation went fully into the position at a meeting in Wellington, when it had the opportunity of discussing the matter with a representative of the organisation from which the criticism came. “In the first place,” said the president of the federation (Mr E. R. Norman, of Wellington), “I would point out that the application of the term ’cardboard’ to material used in New Zealand manufactured footwear is not only misleading but is a reflection upon the industry. Cardboard definitely is not used, as has been suggested. The material actually used is a fibre board. In this connexion 1 might say that it is a world-wide practice—and has been for a number of years—to use fibre board for insoles even in the best overseas footwear. Production standards have naturally been of the utmost concern to the Footwear Manufacturers’ Federation, and its policy has been to see that the best possible footwear, consistent with the price range of individual manufacturer’s and retailer’s requirements, is produced. In this policy it has the wholehearted support of the individual manufacturers, whose aim is to improve the quality of their product and to use only the best materials in the production of that footwear.” Mr Norman said that the fibre board had to be imported, and under war conditions the best quality material was not always available. Some of the criticism of manufacturers might have concerned delayed sales of imported footwear, which had been in stock since 1939 or earlier, added Mr Norman. For the New Zealand-made article the manufacturers were using the best available material.