THE PEOPLE'S BOOTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1920, Page 8

THE PEOPLE'S BOOTS.

SALE OF STANDARDISED FOOTWEAR. Owing to the recent reductions in the prices of leather, says the Board of Trade in an official statement, there is now considerable activity in connection with the manufacture and sale of New Zealand Government Hoard of Trade standardised boots,, and it is believed"— giving due consideration to quality and other relevant circumstances—that the prices recently fixed by the P.om-d make the standardised boots the cheapest in the Empire. Several applications for authority have been considered, and licenses have now been granted to most of the leading boot manufacturers in Wellington. The general public are, however, warned that the fact of a boot being market, "standardised" is not a guarantee tlu; it complies with the board's regulation Buyers should take particular note < the marking of the boots, so as h> ?r cure the benefit of the Government guarantee. At the present time ther are on - the market certain boots mark?, ■ "standardised," and purported, to be til', same as the Board of Trade standardised boots, whereas, in fact, they do not comply with the board's regulations. Moreover, the prices range up to 47s Gd per pair, and arc, in general considerably higher than the retail prices fixed by the Government. In connection with the New Zealand Board of Trade standardised boots, the buyers have two guarantees, first, that the prices fixed by the board allow of only a reasonable profit to the makers and vendors, and. sccon.i, that the quality of the boot is quite satisfactory. The public is advised by the .Board of Trade to see that each' boot ia dis" tinctly branded "New Zealand Board of Trade.' It may be mentioned that, in order to protect the public against fraud in connection with these boots, the regulations issued provide as follows: Every person commits an offence Against these regulations, and shall be liable under the War Regulations Act, 101-4, accordingly, who— Makes any false representation or pretence calculated or intended to cause any person or the public to believe, contrary to the fact, that any hoots have been manufactured under the license of the Board of Trade in pursuance of these regulations, or that they bear the Board of Trade mark, or that they have been manufactured in accordance with the aforesaid specifications or samples of the Board of Trade, or that they are boots of any particular class for which specifications have been so approved.