PRICES OF FOOTWEAR.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 155, 1 July 1919, Page 5

PRICES OF FOOTWEAR.

INCREASES FROM TO-DAY. REPAIRS ALSO __>VA_T-E. The price of footwear, which during the war has increased to an extent which the public hoped would be sufficient without any further increase, is to be jumped up again as from to-day. All imported lines have been advanced in prices to New Zealand importers, the Australian article from. ten to twelve and a-half per cent-, and the American from twelve and a-half to twenty per cent. This will have the effect of advancing the retail price of men's boots by about five shillings per pair, and other classes in proportion. A leading Auckland manufacturing firm in the trade has advised the retailers that owing to the increased price of leather they are reluctantly compelled to advance the prices of gll their manufactured footwear lines. The advice states that it is impossible for them at the time of writing to quote definite prices, but it would be necessary for each line to bear its increased cost. They estimate that the advance will be approximately from 1/ to 3/ per pair on men's and women's Cncs, according to tbe fluctuation of the leather market, and also, of course, the style of footwear. In respect to repairs, a leading retailer advised a "Star" reporter this morning that the price for soling and heeling men's and women's boots wtruld be increased to the extent of 6d per pair. The price to be charged for children's repaire would be governed by size. He mentioned that while the price of all accessories in the repair of boots had increased tremendously during the war the increases had not been handed on to the public. Referring to the manufacture of bools in New Zealand he said that the industry had made rapid strides, the class of boot manufactured being equally as good as the Australian article. The number manufactured annually had increased enormously. It was practically next door to impossible to import English footwear. A little American footwear was coming forward, and quite a lot of Australian made boots coining forward however.