THE PRICE OF HIDES.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 March 1920, Page 3

THE PRICE OF HIDES.

AND THE INCREASE IN BOOTS (From Our Own Correspondent). Wellington, March 2<i. "The public is being told that tho change in the arrangements for the fiale of hides is causing an enormous increase in the price of boots," said a member of a prominent city firm to-day. "That may be the case if the public is willing to put up with it. flow much leather is there in .an average pair of boots? The quantity is not more than two pounds, and the price of hides has not advanced more than Is per pound How, then, does the bootmaker justify. the suggested increase of from 10s to' 12s per pair? "Here is another point. The Government Statistician's index number for leather in December, 1910, was 1510. In December 1919, while that embargo was still in force, the index number had risen to 2344. Yet the price of hides in 1919, under the embargo, was pretty much the same as at the end of lfllti. "The now arrangement with regard to hides is exactly the arrangement that has been in operation in Australia for some time past. It works' very well there, and I r.m confident that 'it will Work very well in New Zealand when matters settle down. But the market lias been bare for some time past and in conspqnmen I;t S been more than the usual demand at the sales that have been held within the last few weeks, with the result that unusually high prices have been reached. These prices are already showing signs of steadying, and when the American exchange gets back to normal, or something near it, as it is in a fair way of doing, a quite reasonable hide market is to be anticipated. Personally J have no doubt that if the bootmakers and tanners arrange to put up prices, imparts will increase and their businesses will suffer."