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THE STANDARD BOOT

BOARD OF TRADE'S SCHEME EXPLAINED BY EXPERT An interesting interview on the aims and progress of the Government's scheme lor the standardisation of footwear was granted to a Christchurch "Sun" reprnsenlative on Saturday by Mr. C. J. Ward,, tho Board of Trade's adviser in this matter. "The.main point of the scheme," said Mr. Ward, "is to give the public a boot of guaranteed quality, which will be sold at the minimum possible price. Only a fair margin of 'profit—and that to be fixed by regulation—will be allowed Co all concerned iii the manufacture and distribution; and the public will be freed from any suspicion or possibility of exploitatioti on the part of the traders." The word "standardisation" is one that conjures up before the public mind visions of a rough, machine-innde article, lacking in both beauty and finish. Tho eta'ndafd boot will npt be of that class. As regards both design andappearance it will at least equal) and probably in most instances will surpass, the footwear that is on tho market to-day. The range of patterns will be such as to enable the average family wholly to equip itself with boots satisfactory in both price and service; but anything of a fancy nature, each as white goods, button shoes, or high-legged boots, will be eliminated. The idea is to encourage to the fullest pissiblo extent Dominion industry in leather, and those other materials which go into the manufacture of footwear. The first batch (if the standard boots; which has already been manufactured, is exclusively of New Zealand-made leather. • ' • . .

.' The. question naturally arises as to the meaning of "standardisation" as applied to' the (Scliemo. , In regard to this, lAlr. Ward' Said that at present there were scores of minor dilferences in design and ornamentation of boots—differences that were ([into apparent to the .eyes of the trade, but which two not greatly noticed by the bulk of the purchasing public, The objects of these were.to catch the ficldo taste o( Hinall sections, who thereby got a , little more. "flourish," but no better quality in their footwear. This meant considerably increased, cost in the factories, increase both in labour and overhead charges, that must bo passed on to the public, Hie large 'portion of which saw no compensating advantage, in a word, the manufacturer having brought his product up to the highest standard of quality, branched out in different embellishments. Up went his costs, and the whole output had to bear iis share. The introduction of the standardised article, which would bear the Government guarantee of best qualify, must almost inevitably lead''to a, reduction in the number of samples being manufactured in one factory, and should also surely lend, to quote Mr. Ward, "lo the muchdesired end of specialisation and increased efficiency." The very high cost of .distribution, which is tremendous, added the'-expert, must also be largely reduced by a'ny cutting-down in the number of samples. All those, combined, must help' towards a reduction in the retail cost. Apart from this, Hie main benefit to the public will be the absolute guarantee of quality on every boot. Besides the maker's, "name, the standard boot will boar the Government stamp,- and every one will have the gazetted retail price indelibly impressed on the sole. It will be an olfeneo to sell above that price, but, on the other, hand, there will be no "cheap.sale" of standard boots. It is to be "one quality, one price," throughout. And the price in the farthest away back-blocks township will bo just tho same aa that in tho city, since the manufacturer has to deliver his product, an allowance to cover the average cost of that being made him. Official Inspection. Probably the greatest forward 6tnp of all to bo introduced by the new scheme, however, is tint evejy manufacturer of standard boots is to give unrestricted entry to his factory to tho Government footwear inspector, who is to have facilities for inspecting the goods iu any process of manufacture. Tinder, tho present, regulations, no inspection of footwear is made until the goods ore in the retail store; then a boot has to be -severely pulled about before shoddiness can bo detected. As an exnmple of what goes on under the present system, Jfr. Ward produced one of a pair of English manufactured boots, which lie had bought in the ordinary way from n Wellington retailer. This was an apparently stoutly-built boy's boot, size 18. The sole and heel were studded with strong nteel "bills," and conspicuously stamped "Warranted all leather." The upper, good pliable leather, lightly lined, seemed quite nil right.. The white lining towards the toe seemed to bo of the proper stout canvas,'while the inner sole was apparently leather. The price of the boots had been 11s. 6d. per pair. "Here is its, mate," said Mr. Ward, as he. uncovered the remains. "That hoot could not posibly stand repairing." He held up the inner sole, which had looked so well in the whole boot..

"That is the foundation of the boot. It -is it that is built upon when a boot is resoled. Look!" Hβ tore three layers of soft stuff off, and explained that the inner sole was anado up'of pieces of leather "flkivings" obtained from the tanneries at only a fraction of the cost of proper leather, and pressed together in a hydraulic press. The "heel stiffener" was of the same material, 'only a worse clas3 of it—skiving scraps glued and preseed together. The toe- ] etiffener was made up of layer? of thick,' grey paper, and the "canvas" of the forward lining revealed itself as thin, poor quality jute, stiffened with lime and starch. The lower sole, about an eighth of on inch in thickness, was of really solid leather; also the same thickness on.the heel, but the balance there was niore skiving?. The lining of the upper, too, wan of this cheap material. The expert recalled a recent pronouncement of tha Minister in Charge of the Hoard of Trade (Hon. W. D. Si Mac Donald) to (lie effect that nothing could be so shoddy in footwear as shoddy leather. Any of tho recognised substitutes for leathe.- were better suited for the manufactur" of hnot? than was shoddy leather. That especially applied in this case. The "warranted all leather" stamp was technically correct, but there was a 'big difference between "all leather" and "solid leather." Yet a New Zealand-made boot of solid leather, that would stand repairing three or four times could be purchased to-day for only Iβ. or 2s. per pair more. /Tho English boot under notico had no foundation to build repairs upon. If once it got properly wet, the layers of the inner sole would come apart, and the boot would practically fall to pieces.

Replying to. a question, Mr. Ward said that plenty of this quality was being pushed on* to Hip. New Zealand market, and that some little bettor was being made in the Dominion to-day. Under the standard system 'of inspection, all of those weaknesses and substitutes for solid leather would be detected, and the public would benefit. The standard boot would bo more than "nil leather," it would be "solid leather." Prices not Yet Fixed. The prices for the standard bwts have not yet been fixed, but they will bo systematically arrived nt. The manufacturers' figures are to be examined by an iiccountnnt, the distribution cost-* definitely fixed, and an exact margin set down for the retailer's work. Opinions have been invited from the retailers, and the recommendations of the majority have benn based upon one-third added to the purchasing coat, ot 25 per cent, on the ultimate- retail price. The Board of Trade has not yet derided to allow this margin, but it is identical with the ninotun allowed on war-time boots in Ungland, although lowei than tlu recommendation of the Inter-State Commission in An-, tralia. When the various margins and prices have been fixed they will be giizetted.

It has distinctly to be unilcir.stond that' the Government's scheme is h> be optional (ill Hie way. That is lo say. » manufacturer nenu not make, , a relailer need not soil, and, of course, a '.'iv-lemcr need not .buy, standard hoots unless he tikes. But tradesman and 'rnnii in the street alike can be (rusted to sco ''a Rood thing," so that the scheme ahoula hardly • hang fire,

At the present time the five manufacturers who ha£e.inade the standard samples, are ready to proceed with the work, but any other who wishes may join in, selecting'from the samples just those which it suits him to make.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19190212.2.79

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 118, 12 February 1919, Page 10

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,432

THE STANDARD BOOT Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 118, 12 February 1919, Page 10

THE STANDARD BOOT Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 118, 12 February 1919, Page 10

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