STANDARDISED FOOTWEAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 72, 26 March 1921, Page 12

STANDARDISED FOOTWEAR.

j BY BOARD OF TRADES j RECOMMENDATION. j I.OWKB PRICKS-WASTK KLIMIXATED. After due consideration and with a view of enabling the public to save considerably on its purchases of footwear, I In , Hoard of Trade furnish an outj line of a scheme of standardised Kiots. !In submitting its proposals, the board I states that tilt- principles applied in this : connection merely put into ell'ect the i beiu'.lis of specialisation. A great source 'of wasted energy to-day is that many i manufacturers are engaged in misccllane- ! oils trading with no economic standards. J A dozen manufacturers may each j manufacture a dozen types of 'articles at a loss, whereas, it : each concentrated on one part I the 10.-i would We converted into a profit. Standardisation of products lias -i.wn sailly neglected and quite unnecessary. Variations have been allowed !to introduce themselves merely because .il has been tin one's usiness to see that !the\ are reduced to a minimum. The system proposed, continues the review, is a form which pives yreat advantages 'in the ma tier of output, ami in conncc , lion with the quality of the goods sup j plied. It also renders possible the full i development of industrial technique and ; reacts favourably upon output, lcs.-enin;,' I i l he. productive cost and enabling the' I manufacturer to place the commodity on the market at such a price that widespread public demand can U- constantly maintained. ■ In connection with the scheme ii iI propo-ed to issue to all !>oot munut'aijl iirer~ in New Zealand who are willing j Ito comply with the conditions mm out in | !l!ie regulations, a licence to place on i he N'i'.i Zealand market hooH liraiuletl : j"\f«- Zealand Hoard of Trade," The ! ; maximum retail price will lie marked > 'in plain ligures on the sole of the boot, ; i and it will not lie a breach of the terms i of the regulations to sell at ;i lower! price. The stamped price, will provide i I for the cost of manufacture, pltn :t reasonable profit to the manufacturer, and i ■plus ii siilliciciit sum !o cover cost and profits in distribution. Where a retailer lor manufacturer employs a warehouse tii linance him, the warehouse must be paid for services without increasing the retail price of the boots to tin- public, the idea being to reduce handling e\ penses to the lowest possible fisure- and bring; the retailer into direct touch with I lie manufacturer. It is proposed to ask" the- Minister of Labour for the services !of the inspectors of footwear, who will see that boots are manufactured to sample and specification, and therefore of an approved quality. The Hoard will I retain the power to alter the retail price from time to time according to tin , tluctnations of the market for material and labour. With a view of bringing samples to the public notice, a number of those boots, made according to specification. are being exhibited in Stone's Buildings. Queen Street. The specilications provide that best quality chrome leather for the : uppers and New Zealand sole leather shall be used. The maximum ■ retail price will rane;e ns follows: Children, 14/."?; girls , , from 1(1 .1 to 17 <i : , women's, from 120/ to &S/(i: 'hoys', from J7/0 to IS/ii: youths', from 21/ to il 1 : ' and men's, from -20/9 to 33/. I