SHODDY CLOTHING

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1924, Page 4

SHODDY CLOTHING

A TAILOK’S ALLEGATIONS. AUCKLAND, October Kb The imi>ort:i(ion into the Dominion of (Tioji|*. sliifMv. rendy-madi- suits is strongly eomlonijui'd hy .Mr •!. 11. Dalton a well-known Auckland tailor and woollen merchant. “At |ircscnt the textile mul '.lotjiine manufacturers are experiencing a very dull time." mi ill .Mr Dalton, “more than kail ol the workers usually employed in the manufacture of clothing are out of employment, and have keen for the last three months. The woollen mills are .also e'perieticiue a diliiculi time

••The chief came of the slump in the j clothing tiade is the importation of low-priced clothing. When I say lowpriced clothing, I mean the cheap u”d' nasty article that is made up with cheap lalioiir ami a mixture of cotton* mul shoddy, and is dear at any price. Smne suits have hoon imported which, after paying charges and duly, cost the importer tit’s (id. It is unite impossible for any manufacturer in New Zealand to put a suit on the market at anything like that price. And the so-called cheap suit is really the dearest, as the trade well knows. This kind of clothing, and other low-quality goods from liritain are seriously prejudicing the industry u! clothing manufacturing in New Zealand. Complaints coming to hand from some of our New Zealand mills are in line with those from le.anufacl n<vi =i. • It is alleged that -buddy, and partly shoddy, tweeds are being landed in New Zealand and placed on the market at Kiiili a price that our New Zealand all-wool tweeds and woi'.* Gils cannot compete with ’hem. Shoddy tweeds are made from shredded materials or second, third, and lourth-haud garments gathered hy rag eolleelors in all parts of Europe. We doubt very much whether the mii'iuli'.ciuting process eliminates the germs ol the dis-ea-es these rags undoubtedly harbour. Shoildv articles are made so that to an ordinary person they appear to he he quite all right, hut their weakness is revealed ulien they come to lie W'A 11K11OrSK.MAN'S ItEI’LY. Mr Dalton suggested that an association of young New Zealanders should he formed who would buy New Zealand clothing to the exclusion of till others, and that they should he supplied with a button to wear on their lapels showing that they belonged to this society. It would lie a great help to New Zealand trade, and would he the means of employing thousands more than at present. “Some will argue," Mr Dalton added "that the price of hill' goods, without outside eompeiii ion. would soar too high. 1 Contend that competition among the different factories would keep the prices reasonable." I’pon being asked to comment on Mr Dalton’s statement, a prominent Auckland warchoii*cniii , > eof.ii'iy discountenanced ins serious charge against the imported article. It was true, lie said, that an extensive industry exist ed in (treat liritain for the manulacturo of shoddy Irom second-hand clothing and rags, hut lie doubled

whether much ol this made-up material found its way to New Zealand. It was not a serious competitor with New Zealand manufactured clothing, and it it were imported in substantial quantities would exercise no appeal to the average New Zealand purchaser. Mr Dalton insists that he can substantiate his statements. Extensive importations ol “shoddy vent hate .been going on lor years, be says, and are now attaining even greater proportions.