BOOTS AND TARIFF

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 139, 9 December 1912, Page 8

BOOTS AND TARIFF

AN INCREASE OPPOSEO STANDARD OF LIVING. 'SCARCITY OF SKILLED LABOUR. A conference of boot and shoe retailers of Wellington was held at the Employers' Association rooms to-day. Mr. A. Lindsay presided, and there were j .also present Messrs. M'Kenfcie, Pearson, Smith, Mann, Gammell, O'Brien^ »«nd Naeh. " ■During the course of a lengthy dis- I - cUßflion, the chairman referred' to the l'ecent rise in the price of hides, and re;marked that the tanners in. New Zealand only produced a very small proportion of the total amount of the^ leather required for the needs of the population ; and there were some classes of that they did not ' manufacture kfall, ' !!♦ One of the delegates contended that f t th6 tanners and manufacturers were <to have the tariff raised, so •as to 'force the retailers to take New ;Zealand-made boots. j The chairman said that if the price of « the- -New Zealand-made article was 'raised ifc would only lead the way to further, importations. He went on to •remark that the general duty ranged -from 35 per cent, to 37 per cent, with !Jan ( additional ll£ per cent, on American ;goodr.- • If the manufacture* in New Zealand Tcolild not compete with that, remarked , another member of the conference, ifc • waa time he- gave up manufacturing. . ,'They want the additional tariff to 1 compel people 'to buy their goods, which •don t fit, and aro.qut of date,,'? said anlotlier member of the conference. ; Even tua%,t the following resolutions ;,tv«re adopted:— ' ."1. That mis meeting, representative * of* the boot aild 'shoot tetailers and im-.-potters of Wellington, urge their repre',«ebtatives at the conference to be con;'v<ffied by the Minister' of Customs to opfftose any incre^e in the existing tariff, •arid recommends that all footwear that Cannot be pfofaably manufactured in the (.•Dominion be admitted dirty free, or, at s«m*st, to beat a 6 per cent, revenue tax, {^'including men's, women's, and children's ■•• slippers with uppers of any material ,ot£er than leathery with or without heels, Jevening shoes, with top piece or wood ;h*els, goloshes,* plimsolls, gum hoots, aad Ml otheiS rubb'er'shoes, buckskin boots,.. ;and shoes with leather, rubber, mercury, .to*«ekr«*ne soles, and ail -children's foot'weurutrforgiße ofle' (inclusive-)/' "2, That we oppose the injustice of the existing specific duty on all foot.wear, and in the best interests of the public generally, stfongly recommend its removai, particularly from mch lines as men's ana women's leather slippers, evening, and" ward shoes, with or without straps." "3. In support of the foregoing resolution this meeting would respectfully direct attention to the following facts: — (a) That the Cost of Living Commission recommended that the existing tariff be deduced; (b) that tbe Wellington -Operatives lraVe instructed their delegates at/ the forthcoming conference to oppose .any fttrther increase in tbe tariff; (c) -;iliat owing to the high standard of living adopted in this Dominion and the constant change of fashion demanded, we consider it impossible for the New Zealand manufacturers to cope with any increased output, owing to the scarcity of skilled labour, both male and female, and we Bee no prospect of this shortage being combated, doe to the favourable conditions of the operatives in other countries, and ( the youth of tbe Dominion not following up the trade."