MR. T. E.TAYLOR AND BOOTMAKING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1100, 12 April 1911, Page 8

MR. T. E.TAYLOR AND BOOTMAKING.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. On March 23 the secretary of tho Wellington Industrial Association (Mr. H. V. Allen) wrote to Mr. T. E. Taylor, M.P., Christchurch, representing. ..that the matter of the alleged shoddy-made boots in New , . Zealand, referred to by Mr. Taylor in Parliament, and dealt with by the Canterbury Industrial Association, had been taken up by the Wellington Association. hi reply, Mr. Taylor wrote that the association did not appear to know that the question did not rest upon any allegation, but upon facts. Ho had produced before the Canterbury Association the materials used in the manufacture of certain classes of boots in New Zealand —as a matter of fact the factory to which ho referred was in Wellington—and if cardboard as part of material used in bootmaUing was shtidily material, tln.-ro was no room for doubt'that shoddy boots were made in the country. He had informed tho Christchurch Committee that he mae'.o r.-j statement as to the extent of tho evil methods of which he bad coinplainod. "I know positively of one factory," continued Mr. Taylor, "where this class of boot, is made, and as a public man I was justified in protesting against tho deception practised upon the people." Ho left the committee with the distinct impression that it was prepared to present an impartial report to its association. When the association dealt with its committee's report, it passed a resolution which was both ungenerous and untrue, and proved clearly that those responsible for it wore more concerned to whitewash tho manufacturers than to suppress tho manufacture of shoddy or protect buyers. His experience of committees of Industrial Associations scarcely encouraged him to pursue this matter' further with the committee of the Wellington Association or with the Master Boot Manufacturers' _ Association. At a meeting of the Wellington Association, as reported in a local paper, :< statement had been made that his object in bringing the question <)T shoddy boots before Parliament was the unworthy one of making political capital out of the matter. If tin; person making that statement apologised for the insult ho was guilty of, or the association expressed its regret, he would, notwithstanding tho jirejudicccl judgment of the Cliristchuroh Association, and tho risk of a Wellington jury of employers proving incapable of giving an impartial judgment—lio would meet the Master Bootmakers' Association at the earliest possible date. He would then prove that shoddy boots were made.

In reply to this letter, Mr. Allen wrote, asking, on behalf of the- manufacturers, for the name of the manufacturer from whom the pair of boots was purchased by Mr. Taylor. It would save a lot of trouble and time. No reply to this letter had been received. The chairman, in a brief comment, said he thought it rather hard that the whole of the bootmakers in Wellington should be under the ban when only one man may have been at fault. It was unfair of Mr. Taylor to make this statement. He. should meet them in the way they had asked ,and supply the name of the alleged offender.