IMPORTS & TRADE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 May 1939, Page 8

IMPORTS & TRADE

STATEMENTS BV RETAILERS RESENTED VERY STRONGLY BY MANUFACTURERS. “GROSS MISREPRESENTATION.” (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. A statement made at a deputation to the Prime Minister (Mr Savage) yesterday that small retailers would suffer because New Zealand manufacturers would not continue small accounts is denied in a statement by the Manufacturers’ Federation today. The statement also points out that footwear manufacturers will not be required to supply an additional two million pairs of footwear, as was mentioned, imports of certain classes, of footwear still being unrestricted. The statement says that very strong resentment has been aroused among manufacturers generally by the statements made by the secretary of the Employers’ Federation, and particularly his assertion that they are closing small account and supplying only larger firms because it is easier for them to conduct their business that way. This is given a flat denial. In regard to footwear, the real position is stated to be that there is no restriction on imports of children's snees, sizes 0 to 9,. as compared with last year. Secondly, imports of leather footwear, men’s and women’s for the whole of 1938, were 520,932 pairs, only a quarter of the two million stated at the deputation. There were more than a million and a quarter pairs ux rubber and canvas shoes imported. These are not the concern of the New Zealand footwear industry and the importation of these from' the' United Kingdom has not been restricted m any way compared with 1938.

The statement concludes: We fully realise, of course, that the misrepresentation. though gross, was not intentional.”