PRICES STEADY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 142, 18 June 1938, Page 7

PRICES STEADY.

DOMINION FOOTWEAR.

PROTECTION OF PUBLIC. REPLY TO CRITICISM. ' The footwear industry in Now Zealand is confident of the future and the public should bo fully protected by internal competition."' said Mr. H. \Y. Shove, president of the New Zealand Footwear Manufacturers' Association to day in replying to a statement by the Tamaki branch of the Farmers' I nion, that increases in the prices of locally manufactured boots and shoes had occurred since the new tariff -amy into force nearly four months ago. An isolated instance had been discovered, he said, in which it appeared that the factory concerned had not fully carried out the manufacturers' undertaking, but it was a small unit and was responsible for less than one per cent of the Dominion juodtlction. Industry More Secure. Mr. Shove claimed that prices were either steady at the level prior to the change in the tariff, or had been reduced by the manufacturers, for at least !>."> per cent of New Zealand-made footwear. In the case of one important .Auckland linn a price range issued for boots and slioes for next summer was 10 per cent lower than the quotations ruling last summer, and the style and finish would be slightly higher, reflecting the steady progress in Dominion methods and workmanship. With the security now established in the industry, the manufacturers were in a better position than in the past to organise their production and to introduce economies which would be passed on to the public. They would thus carry out the undertaking given to the Minister and the (loveriimcnt before the tariff wis revised. Comparing the costs ami prices of men's and children's siloes, which, he said. were on a more standardised basis than women's and were less affected by fashions, the prices for lilliH were 1(1 per cent below those of last year. At the same time, the quality revealed the extent, to which manufacturers were improving the standard. A line of particular interest in the summer range of footwear, ho added, wits children's sandals, which New Zealand factories were now making under the latest overseas process of attaching the leather upper to the sole. The prices quoted for delivery to retailers later in the year were around the landed cost of Fnglish sandals before the tariff was raised, and at the same time the local manufacturers were replacing the bark tan upper* used in the English sandals by a full chrome upper. In actual value the new sandals would, therefore, be superior to those of similar price imjwjrted last year. Quality and Employment. Among other lines in which the New Zealand factories were in a strong jxjsition to combat the statements of critics who failed to appreciate the standard attained, remarked Mr. Shove, were heavy boots by farmers, and various classes of workers. "It may be of interest to the farmers," he said, "to know that for a number of years the heavy quality boots sold have been supplied almost entirely from Dominion factories and have not l>een directly affected by the present tariff. The New Zealand chrome, which is one of the important materials used, is definitely the beet in the world." Referring to employment, he stated that the footwear factories had been steadily engaging additional girls in recent weeks, and one large New Zealand importer of l>oots and shoes had now started a factory in Lhristchurch where a considerable number of workers would l»e employed. In Auckland a large footwear factory had taken on .'lO additional girls. While the number of male operatives engaged had not been increased to a corresponding extent there had boon an improvement which would probably be continued as the year advanced.