SALE OF HIDES.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 February 1920, Page 5

SALE OF HIDES.

FREE MARKET PROVIDED. DOMINION SUPPLY SAFEGUARDED. (By Telegraph .—Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Last Night. Revised regulations governing the sale of hides are published in a Gazette Extraordinary issued to-day. The Prime Minister explained to-night that these regulations provide for what is practically a free market in hides, subject only to the Government controlling the export of both hides and leather in order that amply sufficient supplies of both are retained for Dominion requirements, and of the ensuring that tanners and boot manufacturers can obtain ail the hides they require from Dominion supplies at market prices. This is done by providing that at auction sales tanners have th'j right to take at§' lot -of hides nt the price at which it was knocked down, while other hides not auctioned must be first offered to tanners before being sold to exporters or other persons or exported on the owners' account.

In order to ensure proper observance of these conditions a permit is 1 necessary before hides can be exported. The same applies to leather, which cannot be exported unless the Government is satisfied that it is not required for use within the Dominion, "I have been advised." said Mr. Masscy, "that difficulties have Veen experienced Jj.* boot manufacturers in obtaining supplies of leather, and this, combined with the great discrepancy between the relative values of hides under the controlled price and retiiled boot? respectively, has emphasised the unsatisfactory results of the previous regulations.' As regards the effect upon boot prices of the new order r.f thinjrs results will be observed carefully- Hide values vary greatly,in different parts of the world at the present time, and special attention will also have to be paid to the market values which, will now need to be established here. It remains to he seen what will be the result of these new regulations upon the prices of leathers and Dominion made boots, but if difficulty in this respect arises it will be met."