MAKERS’ MARKS ON FOOTWEAR

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 28008, 30 June 1956, Page 14

MAKERS’ MARKS ON FOOTWEAR

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN TO BE SHOWN

ENFORCEMENT OF LAW FROM TODAY

All footwear made in New Zealand after today, and all footwear imported after that date, will have to be marked with the country of manufacture. This is to comply with the Footwear Marking Order, 1955, which comes into force today. But it may be some time before all shoes, boots, sandals, slippers, and other footwear bought in shoe stores are marked with the country of origin. Retailers are carrying large stocks of both Dominion-made and foreign-made footwear, and these are not required to be marked.

One large Christchurch factory has been marking its products “Made in New Zealand’’ for the last month, but others will be delivering in the next few weeks shoes which are already made, and these will not necessarily be marked—and are not required to be marked.

According to the order, the first made under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1954, only footwear made in New Zealand after June 30, or imported after that date, is required to be marked.

Most of the bettor-quality foreignmade footwear has been marked with the country of origin, and the manufacturers’ name, for many years, and this will raise no problem. But one Christchurch retailer said yesterday that footwear made in Hong Kong might raise trouble.

Some of these lines are marked “Empire Product,” or "Made in the British Empire,’’-and this will not fully comply with the order. There are also some other cheap brands which are not already marked. “I cannot recall one brand which is not marked,” said the manager of one retail store. Asked whether he thought his firm would be obliged to handstamp imported shoes to comply with the order, he said: “We haven’t taken any steps yet—l don’t think the problem will arise.”

Ao from today, the Board of Trade (Footwear Marking) Regulations, 1946. will be revoked.