"FANTASTIC CLAIMS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 274, 18 November 1936, Page 16

"FANTASTIC CLAIMS."

FOOTWEAR TRADE WORKERS. EMPLOYERS' CONTENTION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The claims of the employees, the applicants in the industrial dispute today between the New Zealand Federated Footwear Trades Industrial Association of Workers and the New Zealand Footwear Manfacturers' Association, were described by one of the assessors for the employers as "drastic" and "fantastic," and not in the best interests of the industry. Such claims, he said, would mean the ruination of the industry.

Mr. H. B. Duckworth, of Christchurch, respondents' assesor, said the shoe industry was a protected one, relying for its existence on a 20 per cent tariff protection against the products of . England and many other parts of the British Empire. Wage costs and general production costs in England were much lower than those in New Zealand at tlie present time. The recent legislation in the Dominion had increased costs during the last few months. The weekly output had been reduced as the result of the 40-hour week, without any decrease in pay. The future outlook of the industry was very disturbing, as New Zealand-made shoes would have to meet very serious competition from overseas, where costs had not proportionately increased. Imports had recently increased and this was the writing on the wall. Mr. Duckworth admitted that the position in the industry to-day was healthy.