MR T. TAYLOR AND BOOT INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1060, 24 February 1911, Page 8

MR T. TAYLOR AND BOOT INDUSTRY.

•INVESTIGATION AND _ . EXPLANATION, CD? Ttlcgraph.-Press Atsot-iation.) . Christchurch, February 23. A few wechi ago the Canterbury industrial Association set up a committee to investigate allegations lnadejii tho Hou«j by Mr. T. E. Ta/'lor, M.l'.; regarding shoddy boots, and at the meeting yesterday tho committfo submitted its report. :After quoting Mi 1 . Taylor's remarks in Hansard (No. 45; paso 10155), the "report proceeds:— ■ '. ' ' • "Your committee invited Mr; Taylor to make any statement lio 'desired on the Inattei I .' lib entered very fully: and courteously into tho 'whole Situation, and producetl. samples of cardboard and other riiaterials alleged to bo used in the manufacture Of certain classes of colonial boots. These Were tho.identical exhibits' whjch were in his possession when addressing tho'.House on. tho occasion referred to, and to which reference had been made by him in his speeih. Mr. -Taylor faid that, ho was satisfied from the evidence brought beforo him that similar materials tu these were being built into boots made by ono North Island boot manufacturer: Mr. Taylor explained to tho committeo that his remarks were intended to refer to this individual manufacturer: only, and had no gonOraT reference to the bcot manufacturers of the Domjnibn generally. He had no evidence that .materials of this nature were being used in any other boot factory in New Zealand, and he said that the statements actually made by him had been given a general application which he had never intended them" td ciravey, and which the statements selves did not bear out. Your.committeo Vero satisfied : at the 'close''of 'this interview with Mr. Taylor that no reference liad been intended to boots manufactured in the Canterbury,industrial district, but only'to a class, of boats manufactured ,by one maker in'the Wellington . industrial district: As far as our'dNvn association is concerne<l, 'your committeo is satisfied that Mr. Taj-lot's remarkswerb in no wisa intended to reflect upon tho quality of Canterbury-made boots and shoes. As it is beyond tho- seine, of -.this' committed to inquire into ■ matters appertaining solely .to another industrialjdistricti' the hiattcr: cannot bo;followed i/n further by it. " Tho secretarj' has,- however, been instructed to .passion the.matt Or' to tho .Wellington Industrial; Association to ask .them to. prosecute' the'inquiry further.by every-means in their Mr. Taylor has kindly expressed his to meet ; tho'»Wellington Industrial Association, and' to pro'duco evidence, supported by witnesses, at'any convenient time in j the" month- of March. ' .Your, committeo 'desire to express their great satisfaction I -that' the high quality of' - Christchurchmado boots arid .shoes, which have established for themselves: a colonial reputation; stand in no way impugned by "these proceedings,—(Signed, on behalf of Special Committee)—P. Hercus, presidont." '•; Tho meeting considered the rOport, 1 and tho following resolution -was adopted:— "That this "association considers- it - a hiatter for regret that general statements should have been mado without due ca'ro and without necessary qualification by Sir. Taylor, M.P„,from his seat in Parliament gravely . reflecting on • the character of-" tho hoot industry, of the Dominion, statements -which have- don© serious- injury' to this important industry; but which'ji'ero not borrio out ; by,' facts in' his possession.,; These f.acts,,'as. sinco ■ Stated by Mr. before a; committeo oj this association, point td'Shoddy'-boots \heingmanufactured by orio .'mariiifatturer'only working on'a'vcry small■ scale,''in' the North Island."' ' ' - v -.' A REPUDIATION. . On being consulted, wfth respect to the charges inado by Mr. T. E. Taylor, 11.P., Mr. Brunskill, representing Messrs. W. and J. -Staples and. Company, boot and shoo manufacturers, 'stated that :he thought that tho charges were most unfair, in view of tho fact that no names were mentioned, and, that all boot manufacturing firms operating in Wellington might easily suffer by tno slur so generally placed on the.trade.; . "Sneaking on behalf of my own, firm," said llr. .Brunskill, "I would like to say .emphatically that in tho'manufacture o'f boots and shoes no material is.used that should not bo used. In our goods nothing but solid leather is introduced in- the composition of boats and shoes. I notice in the'message which'appears-ill the press that/Mr. Taylor does not specify what the Wellingtiju-ma'de shoddy goods 'in his 'possession, are.', , If, ho wishes 'to rectify a' wrong or" exposo a dirJioilcst practice: ho should "at lijast stntn explicitly what the goods aro he'complains ;b'£ and from whose factory' th'py craauate. I liblievo 'that Mr. Taylor'is influenced by, honest motives, but in making his somewhat vague charge (vido press) innocent people (and by these I mean tho honest manufacturer) may easily suffer. \Mr. Taylor j jhquld certainly .havo either gone a little farther or said nothing at-h\\."^