THE EXPORT OF HIDES.

Taihape Daily Times, 19 March 1919, Page 3

THE EXPORT OF HIDES.

GOFER NMENT RESTETCTIONSS

PROTESTS FROM FARMERS

Farmers in many ,of New Zealand are protesting against the action of the Government in prohibiting the export of skins and hides except by consent of the Minister for Customs. The condition laid down by the Government is that hides may not be exported unless: they have first been offered at fixed maximum prices to the local tanners. These prices are from 2d to 4d per lb. less than the ruling market prices. At skin sales hold in Wellington last week the prices of hides showed a decline of 2d to 24d per lb., and this fall is attributed directly to the restriction placed on export. "This is a most serious matter for the farmers. ’’ said the Dominion secretary of the Farmers’ Union, Mr E. C. •Tackk. "The fall in the price of bides, brought ahouo by the action of the Government, will bring down the price of cattle throughout the Dominion by 10s to 15s per bead. .Many of the farmers who arc required to fare tins loss have bought their stock in expectation of realising the market price. The result is that in som| eases the year’s work wilPproduce no profit. The principle underlying the Government’s interference is thoroughly bad. A special burden is being imposed upon a small section of the community. The order, it is contended, embarrasses the exporter as well as the farmer. Nw Zealand may be reckoned to produce about 400,000 bides in the course, of a year. The local

tanneries ca uuse about 50,000. But the whole 400,000 are now required to be offered to the New Zealand tanneries, and the export of 350,000 hides that the tanners do not want may be held up while the conditions of the order are being complied with. The Government has guarded against one obvious abuse by providing that hides bought by the tanners under the order may not h,J re-sold.

The restrictio jtoof rthp expjort of hides is discussed in the current. ; number of the Farmers’ Union Advo- | cate. "The Board of Trade —a Go- ! velrnmlent institution established primarily to k’ocp down the cost of living—has set itself to reduce the cost of footwear to the general public at the expense of the producers,” says the Advocate. "The hoard has prevailed upon the Minister to prohibit the export of hides and skikns, unless they have been first offered to the tanners at prices fixed by the Government, which are from ,2d to 4d pier lb. less than the ruling market prices. The prices of boots have risen by something like 50 per cent., a rise which is nearly equalled by the rise in the market price o fhides, but a pair of boots worth. 28s, now sold at 425, moans a riso of 34s in the price. The 50 per cent, rise in the piice of hides only accounts for Is 6d to 2s; the other 12s or 12s 5d is divided between the tanner, the manufacturer, arid, the retailer. We do not doubt that those can each justify the rise fo nvhich they are respectively responsible, but we do object most strongly to the card of of Trade making out thaF the high price of boot sis due to the excessive price of hides, and singling out the producer for the special infliction of it«. piicc-fixin gpoliey. ”