DEARER FOOTWEAR

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 64, 2 April 1937, Page 5

DEARER FOOTWEAR

No Concerted Move by Retailers HASTINGS DENIAL The suggestion muade in a city paper that there was a concerted move by the footwear retailers of Napier and Hastings to bring about an increase in the price of footwear and so set a lead to the rest of the Dominion> was given an emphatic denial by Mr C. Griffiths, of Hastings, this morning. "There has been not the slightest auggestion by the retailers here, of in Napier, of making & concerted movemehfc towards>an increase in price," he declared. "We have never even discusged the idea among ourselves; in fact, I do not think any one of ' us even thought of euch a move until the suggestion Was made in the city paper, That was the first we ever heard of it.".' Mr_ Griffiths said that unquestionably variou# advances in the price of leather would have to take place owiitg to increased costs, hut this would only take place in tlie normal manner when the retailers purchased new stocks and as they depleted their present stocks and supplies. "Whatever increase in price there may he will only be in keeping with the remainder of the Dominion," he said, "and will be entirely dependent upon any increase matle in the wholesale prices. "It is quite antrue, and very misleading and tinfair, however, to suggest that Hawke's Bav is giving a lead to the rest of New Zealand," said Mr Griffiths in conclusion.