SMALL PROFITS ON BOOTS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 221, 17 September 1919, Page 9

SMALL PROFITS ON BOOTS.

iiaxufactjtreivs stateme:nt.

(By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") CHRISTCHURCH, this day. In view of the probable revival of the scheme for turning out standard boots, Mr. J. A. Frostick, head of a large boot manufacturing firm, was invited to express his views on the matter. Hβ said he did not know anything about the proposals, but he didn't mind saying that while he saw no reason to oppose the scheme nothing -was likely to be done to reduce manufacturers' profits, because the' •boot industry was, and had been, one of the poorest profit-making businesses conducted on a large scale in the Dominion. The gross profits, as shown in the last census returns (those of 1916), were 1.3 per cent more than those of the previous census period. The trade in the 1911 census showed a lower gross profit than was shown in either Australia or

America for the same period, which countries are considered as being nearest to the Now Zealand standard of living so ;ar as the war period is concerned. Whatever extra costs were incurred through freights, non-productive wages, and general overhead charges came out of the 1.3 per cent extra gross profit. Of course he was dealing with Dominion figures, and. not with those of any one patricular firm. From the manufacturers' point of view there was no objection to standardised boots. He did not think that generally people would avail themselves of the opportunity of being clothed and booted according to Government pattern, which', in effect, would be the parading of their personal economy. "My opinion," added Mr. Frostick, "is that if the principle of standardisation is adopted it will act as a check to local production by a corresponding encouragement of imported goods, upon which there are not likely to be any restrictions, either as to style or quality. The fact is unassailable that boots and shoes of a given quality are lower in price in "New Zealand to-day than in England or America, and most certainly lower than in England."