HIGH HEELS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29548, 24 June 1961, Page 2

HIGH HEELS

Import Licence Refused Ah attempt to gain licences enabling shoe manufacturers to import stiletto heels from overseas was unsuccessful when recent representations were made bv the New Zealand Retailers’ Federation to the Minister of Customs (Mr Marshall). On behalf of the federation, the secretary (Mr D. F. Munro) said that while shor-ter-type heels manufactured locally were satisfactory, currently fashionable stilettos made in New Zealand were quite unsuitable. Members of the footwear group within •he federation were extremely concerned at the continued high incidence of heel breakages in women's fashion shoes. Two Christchurch stores had returned 2211 pairs of shoes in the last 12 months Five Dunedin stores had returned 2265 broken heels last year. One store had been compelled to put one staff member full-time on to dealing with complaints and arranging for repairs. The same store had reported cases of heels being broken on the way out of stores immediately after purchase.

Because there had been little or no improvement in heel manufacture during the last 15 months, the federation urged the release of overseas funds for import licences, said Mr Munro. A process heel used in the United States had proved far more successful that any locally-manufactured product. Mr Munro said that from recent observations in Britain heel breakages were now negligible there. Manufacturing Defect “The publie are bow being charged for replacements and shoe repairers have charged up to 23s fid a pair to correct what was, in the first instance, a manufacturing defect,” said Mr Munro. “There is a serious delay on the part of the manufacturer in repairing heels, and many are now being returned with heels of a completely different tone in colour from the original shoes.” In his reply the Minister said that in normal circumstances he would have been glad to give favourable consideration to the request but in view of the serious shortage of overseas exchange, he regretted that the granting of a licence could not be considered.—(From an article in the “N.Z. Retailer” magazine.)