STANDARDISED BOOTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 99, 21 January 1919, Page 4

STANDARDISED BOOTS

SCHEME WILL NOT BE DROPPED. The scheme for the manufacture of standardised boots is being opposed by some of the Ohristchurch bootmakers on the ground that now the war is over the scheme is no longer needed. The boot manufacturers suggest that the Government should first regulate the price of leather, and also that the boot trade should not be the only industry to suffer this interference.

The president of the Board of Trade (the Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald) said yesterday that he thought this was the chief difficulty at present. "Prior to the signing of the armistice," said the Minister, "I understand that the majority of the boot manufacturers were in favour of- the scheme. The working up of the scheme to its present state, has taken much time ana. effort, and the ' members of the Board of Trade are of opinion' that it will be in the interests of the people of the country to give effect to it. Immediately the hoard returns to Wellington we hope to have something definite done. We are advised by Mr. Ward, the expert who has been assisting' the Board of Trade in this matter, that it should be possible to have these standardised boots on the market about March next. But there are so many difficulties that haste is undesirable. It would he better to delay the thing for a mouth if by so doing we 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 one of the delegates from Wellington. The conference will consider the Government proposals. "We have not yet decided at what price the boots will be sold. Samples of all classes of boots' except women's have been prepared for submission to the manufacturers in the four centres, and the samples 'of women's boots will be ready very soon. The manufacturers will bo asked to look at these samples, and to say which they are prepared to make, and at what price. When this information is available the Board of Trade will be in a position to fix the retail prices, "The objection of'the hoot manufacturers about the price of leather will have the attention'of the Board of Trade. If it is found that the price of leather has been 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 the Board of Trade comes back .from the. West Coast this question of the price of leather will be investigated. It may bo that the basis upon which Mr. Ward has been working iu reckoning the once to be charged for boots will not hava to bo altered."