POSITION OF THE BOOT TRADE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 13, 16 January 1909, Page 2

POSITION OF THE BOOT TRADE.

EMPLOYEES' VIEW. lUT -TKtBGBAPII. I'll Ess ASSOCIATION.; CHRISTCHURCH, 15th January. The manifesto issued by the boob manufacturers of the Dominion as a reply to the resolution arrived at by the executive of the New Zealand Boot Trade Federation was the subject' of an interview between a representative of tho Press and the general secretary of the federation, Mr G R. Whiting. Mr. Whiting said it was quite correct, as stated in the manifesto, that on two occasions representatives of the federation agreed to the conditions and wages offered by the manufacturers. In the 1903 agreement the hours of work were reduced by three per week, whilst in that of 1905 wages were increased, bringing the minimum up to Is per hour. This increase was in respect (with a fewexceptions) to workers earning lO£d an hour. Since the agreement, said Mr. Whiting, the increased duty advocated by the Boot Trade Federation had come into force ; the competition irom imported hoots and shoes being ars.iily reduced ; and the federation" therefore claimed that the workers should receive some benefit from the increased duty. ' Tf the benefit from the increased "duty is to accrue only to the manufacturer and the retailer," Mr. Whiting continued, "then in our opinion it would be far "better to sweep the duty away, and allow the jjjublic to get cheaper boots and shoes and the bootmaker to get bet te-r wages and conditions in another class of employment." After further elaboration of this phase of the question Mr. Whiting "said he was, in a position to state that the increased duty had increased considerably the trade in colonial-manufactured boots The federation asked also that wages should be fixed for apprentices. Questioned regarding the apparent inconsistency of the executiva's resolution, Mr. Whiting observed that the two proposals—the establishment of State boot factories, and the abolition of duty on imported boots and shoas— were intended as alternatives. If the Government started State boot factories it would settle the difficulty so fajr as the workers were concerned, and they did not desire the duty removed ; but if State factories were not established they said that, seeing that the employees cannot get fair conditions from the manufacturers, the be?t thing would be in the inteiests of the community- to take the duty off nnd give the public a chonw to get the cheap article,.