BOOT INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 11 September 1929, Page 6

BOOT INDUSTRY

COMMITTEE- OF ENQUIRY

WELLINGTON, September 9

The progress of the work off the committee appointed l “to 1 enquire into and report upon the problems surrounding the boot industry Mil New Zealand was the ; 'subject of an''enquirV'made of tlie chairinati of the l! S6minitt'ee (Mr J. W. Collins) to-day;' s '- ■ : ' r • Mr Collin's stated' that a’full meeting comprising four representatives eac-h of the employers and'‘employees and five Government representative's, was held last ’week; when'the first section of the report, dealing with the production side of the industry’ ivas completed. The second stage of the committee’s work, covering problems o«f distribution, would now lie undertaken. After approval of tlie first report by the Minister for Industries and Commerce (the Hon. Mr Cobbe) it would probably be made available in the ' form of a bulletin, firstly to boot manufacturers and boot operatives, and then to the Press. The report covered a' wide field of work and dealt with the industry under the main headings of manufacturing difficulties, employment problems, plant, equipment, and lay-out, specialisation of products, production, costing systems, overseas competition, management, control, etc. in addition the statistics off production and importation would be given, together with the committee’s opinions, as to -thq .causes of depression in the im’. \stry- and recommendations for .... impr .ri ment.

. Appendices to, .the main report, said Air Collins,, embraced special reports prepared iiy.,s..b-conimittees,. and dealt with xj fji.owing matters —comparison of manufacturing conditions in Great Britain and New Zealand, detailed report on factory buildings, machinery, lay-out, and. organisation, the application of the payment by results system, and .manufacturing costs in the footwear industry.