HIDES AND FOOTWEAR.

Taihape Daily Times, 7 July 1919, Page 5

HIDES AND FOOTWEAR.

INCONSIS_'_I‘_ENT PRICES. _ '_'. WHO I§”==»£ss"'ENnr:'rlNes MATTER. was ‘BOARD or TRADE} ‘There are "many people in the city! today who question the statement that the ‘increase in the cost of leather is responsiblléwfor the further increase in the price of footwear. Shortly after the outbreak of war the fact that the Gwvernlnient had ~.‘i'equisitioned all the hides was used as an argumenti for an increase in the price Of.‘ the much needed boot and the equally indispensible shoe. Under this ,requi—sition the»-tanners had t:he option of purshasing the hides they wanted to keep the industry going at a price fixed by the Government. Not long siucethe embargo on the export of the hides from the‘ Dominion was lifted, and exporters commenced topick up their pre-war business. The prices fell a little until the business. was organised when they rose again higher than the requisition price formerly fixed by the Government. Recently the Government again stepped in and placed an embargo on the export ofi hides until snob. hides had been refused by the tanners of the .Dominion at a price fixed by the authorities That is to say, anyone having hides to export must first ascertain tha.tftlll:lY are not wanted by the tanners 0 _e Dbminion before the permit to eXPOl't will be gl'3llt‘3d- The exporter Seek‘ ing this permit has to fill in the folxowing ' requisition:——‘ ‘ The :a.bovemenioned goods have been offered for sale and refused by the tanners’ representative appointed by t-ht“ lggaiducif Trade at each of the Pol‘ 5 ’ ' land, .Wellingt}on,) Chyistchurchy «and Dunedin at prices nit enceedrgf thfifi: set ol.t. in the nct-i*ca 1011 Comptlrollers Gen,€T3l *9. the? C,“S‘°»“‘S and published in the Gazette.’ . The said". g~o,odS_ are not intended #O3 port by us on behalf of any_ tanner carrying on business in New Zealand or on behalf of any purclraser for any such tanner.” The tanners tlluSh3Vo the option of buying .Wh9~t9VCl' 15 1186.05‘ sary to supply their—'yvants at the price fixed. These PTW9S are set_°ut' in the Gazette as follows:/OX hliies’ superior, up to freezing conipacililiesr - 11.1-<1 er lb; 0' er ox hides, second Olualityr Ed less; cow hides, first quality? up t.o~freezing companies’ best ‘standard, 1/ Per lb; other first quaht-3': 1” P“ 11); second‘°quality, 10%d'PI91.' lb‘ UH" der the Government I‘CqlllSltlOllSChel]lllo which Operated dlll‘illß' the War’ t e fiollowing prices ~“'°“° fi“ed"-‘Ox hides: first quality, up t 0 fI'C€Z. ing companies’ 1303’? Standard? 1/1 Per lb; other first quality: 1/ Pol‘ Ib3_Sec' -ond quality, 11211 P9l‘ first ‘quality, up ‘IO freezing‘ °°mPa‘”°‘°‘“ best standard, 1/ P9l‘ 1b; Other fifst qualities, lld per lb; second quality, 10-.l_.d per lb. V

ested that there is practically no differ- : once‘ in the price of hides at the preI sent; time, and the price of hides under ;Ithe Government grequlisition scheme, ;land the question is asked how, the-.re~ ,t'ore, can the price «of footwear be in« g creased on the excuse of an increase in 5 the cost of leather‘! Several gentlemen i to whom th matter was mentioned this imorning expressed the opinion that ! someone was making undue profits out {of the business, and that the Governil]’l(‘.llt_. instead of l§e»epi2:;__-; prices down, Evsas really helping thei.-. to soar by ifixing the price of hides, and at the l same time allowing the product in the lfcrm of boots and shoes to. be sold at ‘any price those responsible cared to ifix. It was suggested that the Board of Trade might profitably direct its attention to this matter, and go carefully into the whole. question from the price of raw ma.teria.l to that of the finished boot. It is stated, too, -that tanncrs themselves have admitted that when they approached the Government’ all they desired was that they should be given the opportunity of buying sufficient ,for {their needs at ’fho. ruling marliet. ‘price, so that it would not," be possible for exporters to leave them short, and that they did not anticipate’ that the» Government would kindly fix me, priecifwithout at‘,-the same time plae-I ingW"sonle,-restriction on the price‘ of! footwear: As matters stand now, it is co)i}i=..r.<lc,d‘ that.-‘they can simply pick.’ fife best offlthe hides at a price Which‘ hardly pays" the‘ eirporter, and sell thd product:-at‘their own price. Generally s;_;e?_..'ki‘,ng-.,._.tlle,_feeling appears to be th9.t., there ~is_ _sornet.-hing wrong somewhere,_,,an.d.th'a.t the public are being‘. exploited-_-to,-.~a degree that is highly unsatisfactory. ,_ ~