BOOTS AND SHOES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12897, 31 August 1907, Page 9

BOOTS AND SHOES.

AN ALLEGED "CORNER."

OBJECT LESSONS IN COLONIAL "SHODDY."

(special to "the press.") WELLINGTON, August 30. Tho items in. the schedule of tho Tariff Bill, dealing with boots and shoes, furnishod material for an interesting debate to-night.

Mr Hardy, whose table was covered with a collection of boots and shoes and slippers, containing several specimens of colonial "shoddy," waxed indignant concerning the iniquities of the Now Zealand manufacturer. "What have we here?" he asked, holding up ono sample. "Bull's wool, cardboaixi, and brown paper," he exclaimed with scornful emphasis.. * "It is a disgrace to the colony; it is only worth that," ho added, as he tore tho shoddy article asunder and held tho severed portions (one in each hand) up to tho wondering gaze of lv's fellow members. Mr Hardy, after several speeches and repeated displays of his weird and wonderful collection of footwear, stated that a syndicate was now in process of formation to corner the boot industry of this colony. They talked about Rockefeller in America, but we had Rockefellers hero in our midst. He was not going to subscribe to tariff that would bring about this state of things. We were, ho added, prepared for a reasonable amount of protection, but we were not prepared to build up syndicates to corner this industry. "If the Minister wishes information,'' said Mr Hardy with emphasis. "I have it in my pocket, and I'll be able to show it to him. I am not talking about things I do not undotetand."

Mr Millar, in reply, said that two commercial travellers had assured him that since the new tariff came into force their ordcra were three times as great as before the passing of these resolutions. The result would be an increased demand for hides, pelts, and wattle bark.

Mr Laurenson said the whole history of tho syndicate referred mto by Mr Hardy was that some factories had combined to specialise. One was to devoto itself to the manufacture of children's boots, another to the manufacture of women's boots, and a third to the manufacture o! neat boots. In this way they hoped to produce at a cheaper rate a better article than they hitherto produced. "If you are going to give the peonle free sugar to sweeten them." said Mr Hardy, in returning to the subject, "you are going to charge them through the noso lor their boots and shoes."