MR DEVERELL AND MR J. G. BROWNE.

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 38, 15 September 1892, Page 2

MR DEVERELL AND MR J. G. BROWNE.

TO THK EDITOR OF THE STAR. Sir, — I think that your correspondent has not correctly judged the tenor of my last letter of August 22nd. When be says that no appreciable price would follow if a heavy import duty was put on boots. I speak of the Customs tariff as at present constituted. Nor do I think that the comparison he gives of putting on a ten per cent duty the same would be followed by the local manufacturer of boots. Mr Browne's remarks about tariff duties may seem singular if one comes to consider the fanciful idea of doing things haphazard su6h as a fixed principle to which a basis of operations must be confined, and such adjustment, if necessary, in the way of increasing duties must be done by consent of the. members of the House of Bepreaentatives. Regarded in any other light his remarks may be reviewed. A bootmaker if he uses good material, supported by good workman* ship, must command higher prices than what would be paid to a merchant who keeps a large assortment at wholesale prices. The latter also keeps a greater Variety. A tradesman only requires to keep a suitable article for demands not in excess of the requirements of the district. In the past tradesmen residing in some localities have a high price trade list for boots made to order, having to pay freights and incidental charges which to a certain extent must affect the original cost of such. I don't think this matter can be satisfactorily disputed. A tradesman may desire to get a high price for his goods, considering quality and workmanship, but does it at all follow that he will command it ? Of this fact no doubt Mr Browne is not ignorant. The local drawback is the auction sales of both colonial and foreign makes. Such com* petition and such sales taking place will in a measure affect his custom. I quote from " Deverell's remarks on trade matters," Vol 1, 25, " Capital may be used or abused. Some men in a small way of business are apt to think with a limited supply that all can be accomplished to one's ends. But this is a very contracted view of its operations. Money, the rilling power of the world, and a limited range of such may lead a man in business to founder in his career in life." Most tradesmen or shopmen selling drapery goods resort to trimming, on the principle that if he don't know their business who should. I think this will suffice in reply to some of Mr Browne's remarks. I am, etc., John Deverem..