FOOTWEAR REGULATION ACT, 1913 AND 1915.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 155, 4 July 1916, Page 4

FOOTWEAR REGULATION ACT, 1913 AND 1915.

HINTS TO THE PUBLIC. The Footwear Regulation Act applies to all boots, shoes, slippers, and sandals sold in New Zealand, whether manufactured in New Zealand or imported; but it does not apply to the soft-soled shoes worn by infants (sizes 0 to 4). A number of experts in footwear have been appointed inspectors, and are stationed in different parts of New Zealand. The Inspector of Factories in each town of the Dominion is also appointed an Inspector of Footwear, and any information can be sought from such Inspector, who will, if necessary 1( I submit the questions to the nearest exI pert Inspector for reply, | The parts of footwear dealt with in the Act are the outsole, insole, heel, and heel-stiffening or heel-counter. The insole is that portion of the sole which, is inside the boot next the foot of the" wearer. As the insole is the foundation upon which the boot is built, it follows that unless a boot has a good leather iusolc it will not stand the strain of wear for any length of time. The heel-stiffening or heel-counter is the material used in all footwear to stiffen the back of the boot immediately above the heel. The substitutes for leather generally used in the soles, heels, and hecl-stiffen-i ings are:—(a) Cardboard, which is frequently used for the insoles and heelstilfenings of footwear, and sometimes in the heels themselves; (b) also what is known in the trade as “leatherboard” or “ compo-board,” which is not leather, but is made of paper and leather scraps, leather dust, and the like, sometimes coloured to resemble leather* and sometimes covered with a thin layer of leather or canvas. This material, though hard when dry, does not resist moisture. It is used mostly in the insoles and heel-stiffenings. When purchasing footwear it is advisable to examine the outer surface of the solos in order to see whether they are branded. If not branded, 1 both the outsoles and insoles, also the het-3 and the lieel-stiffening, should consist exclusively of leather. The Act does not require such footwear to be branded. If the soles or heels or heel stilfenings contain any substitutes foxleather such as the above-mentioned, the Act requires that the outer surface of each of the soles shall be branded with a statement describing the materials used therein. SPECIMENS OF BRANDING. (a) Where the outsole ■ consists of leather (as is almost always the case), but the insole consists of cardboard or leather-board or compo-hoard covered with very thin leather, and the heelstiffening consists .of cardboard or Seather-Board, the brand-will read somewhat as follows: —• Leather outsole. Leather and board insole. Board stiffener. (As above stated, “board” is merely cardboard or suchlike material,

- which will not resist moisture.) ' (b) Where both the outer and inner solos consist of leather, but the heel- . stiffening comprises cardboard or > leather-board or compo-board, the brand will read thus;— 1 Leather outsole. i Leather insole. j Board stiffener. ' or merelyBoard stiffener. , The Act does not specify any particular design or mode of lettering, except that it shall indicate the matc-ri-I els used (other than leather), and that all branding shall.- be conspicuous and legible at a distance of 5 ft. The use of cardboard or other substitutes for leather in the soles -or heelstiffening is very detrimental to the life, of footwear. Where it is used in the insole it may be detected by lifting the edge of the thin slip of ibather which covers it, on the inside of the boot alongside the upper. An otherwise good boot frequently lies a leatherboard or compo-board heel-stiffener (although the extra retail cost of a leather stiffener would be only about dd). These stiffeners seriously weaken the boot, causing it to collapse, -or to < break away from the sole. The heels of men’s footwear are generally made of solid leather. In many instances ladies ’ and children’s heels consist of layers of cardboard (sometimes called “pulp”) or leatherboard finished off with thin layers of leather. Wooden heels, covered with two or three layers of leather, are, on account of their lightness, frequently used in ladies’ light walking-shoes. While the sole should in such cases be branded in -order to comply with the Act. there is no great objection to the use of wooden heels. Their chief fault is that they sometimes fall off; but they ' can be replaced. In ladies’ and children’s cheap shoes, even the outsole is sometimes made mainly of leather-board or compo-board with a thin covering of leather. Unit ss properly branded as such this can- * not generally be detected by non-experts until the leather is worn through. The above or any other footwear may < bo submitted to an inspector for examination, but it should be remem- r bored that if such brand as may have been impressed upon the soles Is ob-

Siterated by wear it may lw difficult to prove a breach of the Act, as the manufacturer or seller could claim thjjj| the solos were properly branded a* the time of the sale. It should be noted Mat in most footwear, including th(digest welted “fillings” are necessary to fill Wxe spaces in the fore part of the boot between the insole and the outsole. In welted boots the spaces are caused by the seams, which arc in turn due to the stitches. Cork or felt are used for this purpose, and should not be regarded as “shoddy.” In order to obtain good-wearing footwear, purchasers are urged to see that both the outsoJes and insoles, also the heel-stiffeners, consist entirely of leather. It might be added that provision is made in the Act by which, where a shopkeeper has sold unbranded or improperly branded footwear purchased by him from a manufacturer or importer or other person in the belief that such footwear complied with the Act, legal proceedings for the offence may be taken by an inspector against such manufacturer or other person.