SHODDY BOOTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1899, 6 November 1913, Page 4

SHODDY BOOTS.

EFFECT OF THE NEW BILL. PAPER IN FOOTWEAR. , Tho Hon. F. M. B. FISHER (Minister of Customs) moved the second reading of the -Footwear Regulation Bill. He had, he said, had inquiries made by Collectors of Customs as to the. existence or otherwise of shoddy ' footwear,' and he read to tho Houso some of the details of what was found upon-an inspection being made of the boots and shoes being offered for sale in somo of tho centres. The effect of these reports was that a good deal of paper was used in soles and stiffening in cheap shoes, especially in ladies' footwear. Ho urged that it would bo a good thing for tho House to pass the Bill to prevent ftho sale of boots and shoes alleged to bo made of real leather,. but actually made partly of paper. It was a great injustice to permit people to bo defrauded in this way, and there was also a danger to health, especially of children, caused by tho wearing of paper shoes, which were- moro blotting paper, and no protection against damp. Tho New Zealand manufacturers scarcely- used paper at all now, and when tliev did use it tbey did so under tho compulsion of competition. The prohibition of tho use of paper or straw-board hero would not add materially to tho price of boots, and if it did, it would still be an advantage in giving protection to the purchaser of boots. Ho believed cvory boot manufacturer in the country would bo glaid to see the Bill pass, and ho hoped it would relieve tho boot manufacturers of the necessity of using paper in order to compete with imported shoddy. Ultimately lie might have to ask the Houso to pass a much moro extended Bill to apply not only to footwear, but to other commodities in which tho public were defrauded -by false descriptions. For the future sellers of footwear would have to stamp their goods with a proper description as to what they were actually made of, and not merely what they looked like. Tho Bill was no now tiling, having boon tried in somo of tho Australian States. Ho hoped it would be effective in its operation, and certainly it had been moved with the very best of intention!,

Mr. G. W. RUSSELL (Avon) said that no doubt tho Bill went in tho right direction. Ho was not sure, however, whetlior it was not aimed too much at tho retailer instead of the importer or manufacturer. • It seemed to him that tho Bill did not give power to tho Department to trace boots beyond the retailer, who may have bought them in Rood faith, to the importer, or to tho manufacturer of shoddy footwear. He welcomed the introduction of the Bill, and ho would support it.

. Mr. J. S. DICKSON (Parncll) said it seemed to hiin that tho Bill was directed too exclusively against shopkeepers, instead of the agents for home manufacturers, liven the local manufacturers were not free.of tho reproach of using shoddy. 11l any caso lie did not think that the stamping of shoddy footwear with a true description of tho materials of what they wero made would interfere with'the sale of them.

Mr. J. H. BRADNEY (Auckland West) congratulated the Minister 011 the introduction of the Bill, saying tliat he believed the effect of it would bo to stimulate the boot manufacturing industry in Now Zealand. Tlio Hill was supported by Messrs. G. Wittv, J. A. Hanan, A. Harris, L. M. Isitt; H. G. Ell, H. Atmore, W. A. Veitcli, and Sir Walter Buchanan. ' The Hon P. M. B. FISHER, in reply, argued that it was quite clear from the Bill that all the responsibility for tho quality'of'boots was not thrown on the retailer. If everybody but tho retailer was freed from responsibility, and especially if tho manufacturer escaped responsibility under tho Bill, tho Bill would havoto bo'amonded. Somo members had suggested that New Zealaudmado boots should bo' marked "Made in New Zealand," but from his own observation and experience he would say that the effect of this was to reduce the sale of locally-made boots. He had seen manufacturers here, marking their goods with a foreign brand in order to got a more ready sale for them. It was, in fact, difficult to suggest a method by which tho loyalty of the Now Zealand, people to their own manufactures could bo stimulated. ,

Tho Bill was read a second time on the voices. .