EXPORT OF HIDES.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1919, Page 2

EXPORT OF HIDES.

ADVERSE CRITICISM. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, March 7. The prohibition of the export of bides and skins has drawn Home adverse criticism from interested particß. The chairman of the Wellington Meat Kxporfc Company, for example, han pointed out that the order is going to take 10s to 15s per head oil' the market value of cattle, owing to the fact that liiden have been bringing high pricoa lately for export. The Minister for Agriculture (lion. VV. D. S. Mac Donald), replying to BOine of his critics, stated to-day that the prohibition of the export, of hides was necessary in order that the price of leather in New Zealand might be kept at a reasonable level. The Government, as representing the public generally, was interested in the production of the new "standard" boots. The boot manufacturers could not sell these boots, or any boots at all, at other than exceedingly high prices unless the price of leather was kept down. The tanners could not produce the leather at a fair price unless they were able to get the hides without facing the competition of export buyers engaged in sending hides to markets where there was a scarcity of leather. Mr Mac Donald said he considered the Government fully justified in taking 3teps to prevent the New Zealand consumers being made the victims of inflated values, which were good for nobody—not even the farmer.