CHILDREN'S SHOES

Chronicle (Levin), 9 August 1946, Page 7

CHILDREN'S SHOES

-Press Association

MEETING THE SHORTAGE

By Telegraph-

W'E LLINGTOJ& August 8. Prospects oi' expanilmg tlie linmufucture of children 'a footwear in New Zeuland would be improved if that scutiou of tlie boot and shoc industry were delicensed, said Mr. J. T. Watts (liiccarton) in ihe House of Kepresentalives yesterday afternoon. Mr. Watts claimed that though the Minister of Supply (Mr. Sullivan) had stated that iinport licences were issued, he had not told tlie Ilouse that owing to delav in granting the import permits, goods wliich were available at the time tlie applieatious. were made had been sold olsewhere before the Xew Zealand import er could plaee a iirm order. in reply, the Minister of Supply gave the Ilouse details of negotiations wliich had beeu entered into in order to try to nieet the shortage of children 's footwear. Mr. Sullivan said that reccntly the United Kingdom " Ctovonunent had been asked about the possibility of agroeing to an applicatiou by New Zealand for the export of children 's footwear to nieet sliortages here. .Mr. Watts: llow long ago was the inquirv made' Withiu the last two or three weeks, said Mr. Sullivan. The United Kingdom had replied that it could not meet the reqiiirements uiuler .12 montlis. That did not niean that New Zealand could get iio children \s l'ootwear during the interval. It could get some, but the great Imlk of it would couie tmvards the eud of the period. New Zealand would eudeaiour to get children 's footwear from the United Kingdom to wlmtever extent was possible. It was iio part of''. the policy of the (to verninent, or of liis own policy, forcibly to keep anv industry undor the ludustrial Kliiciency Act, coiitiuued tlie Minister. There wero. about 85 o 6 ;j 7 lirms iuaking children 's footwear. Tliey were lield up for Jack of adequate supplies of leather, and some of the upper leather had to be imported. t'iiere was dillicuity iu obtaining tlie materials from overseas for making sliocs, just as there was in getting the complete shoes themseives. Lvery country had the same diiiiculty, and tlie United Kingdom was still rationing footwear. i Itepresentatives of tlie manufactur1 ers had been called together to discuss j projiosals designed to intensify the ; production of children 's footwear, said j Mr. Sullivan. Supposing ihe industry were delicensed and a crop of new ; manufacturers canie into being? The : shortage would not be met, but such ; labour and raw material as were avail- ; able would be divided ainong them. i There were some local dilliculties arising out of the shipping position be- | tween the two islaiids, but the Governi ment was goiug to see whether speeial arrangenients could be made to give priority iu the irausferoiice from Ihe South to the Xorth Islaiul of such j leather as could be used for children 's i footwear.