THE BOOT INDUSTRY.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14523, 27 November 1912, Page 6

THE BOOT INDUSTRY.

TO THE E--TOB OF "TBZ -__£__." Sir, —I was pleased to note in your issue of this morning that the boot and shoe retailers and importers were taking steps to prevent any further protection to the above industry. I havo only to-day received from a local firm of manufacturers the following explanation for the non-delivery of an order placed with them five weeks ago, and wonder why they deserve any protection at all:—"We regret that the goods are a little late in going forward, but it was actually no fault of ours that thoy were not shioped a week ago. Some of our hands absented themselves from work for a few days, and it threw us back with a lot of goods. We dare not say much to them the way tho Labour market is just now. : ' This coming from a manufacturer who went out" of his way to urge a further increase of a tariff that has, during the past few years, forced up the prico of footwear from 30 to 50 per cent., proves to my mind that the industry is already over protected. —Yours, etc., PUBLIC BENEFACTOR.