CHILDREN'S BOOTS

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 138, 8 December 1921, Page 9

CHILDREN'S BOOTS

A TARIFF CONCESSION

NO DUTY TO'SIZE 9.

The Government's proposals in regard to the duty on children's boots and shoes were varied on the suggestion of the Prime Minister in the ,House of Representatives last night. Under the new arrangements children's boots from sizes 0 to 9 will be admitted freo, sizes 0 to 6 immediately, and sizes 7 to 9 after 31sfc March, 1922. ,

When the matter arose in the House of Representatives last night the Minlister of Customs (the Hon. W. Downie Stewart) said the Boot Manufacturers' Association had waited on him and proposed that it should be given an opportunity to establish a factory with an output of 3000 pairs of children's boots in addition to the present output. If this proposal were'-adopted, the association suggested that the rate .of profit should be subject to the conditions and control now applying to the woollen trades. To enable the association to get under way properly with this combined factory the ; association suggested that the duty should remain as at present for two years. The bootmakers said that if they were deprived of the chance to manufacture children's boots and, shoes, lit. would be a very serious blow'(to the rMr." T. W.,Rhclcs (Thames): "Will they give a guarantee as to price?". The Minister said the association was .willing to submit to the control he had mentioned. , The Minister of Industries and Commerce: "Free competition after two y<Mr.' J. S. Dickson '(Parnell) said that the extra output would not meet the \ needs of-the country. He suggested.that children's boots and shoes, from sizes 0 ito 9, should be admitted free instead of the duty being imposed from size 7 upwards. '• _ The Minister oi Industries and Commerce considered the proposals of the association well worth consideration. He suggested that the. association should be given twelve months, not two years, in which to get the scheme into operation. . ; ' Mr. E. Dixon (Patea) condemned the boot manufacturers for their actions in the past. He would vote for children's boots being admitted free. Mr. T. W- Rhodes (Thames) said it would be fair to allow all children's boots in free, „', , , ' The-Prime Minister said he had a good deal of sympathy with the suggestion that something should be done to make children's boots cheaper. He could not afford to lose the £14,000« involved in making children's boots duty free up to size 12. He proposed to ask the House to make these boots duty free on the British preferential tariff to size 9, but to enable those, who had stocks on hand to' clear them ho would suggest that the new proposal. should not come into operation until 31st March. Dr. A. K. Newman (Wellington East); Messrs.. J. A. Young (Waikato), '0. J. i Hawken (Egmont), E. W. Smith (Waimarino), G.W. Forbes (Hurunui], the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. T. M. Wilford), and Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton) supported the ' plea for freedom from duty to size 12. The Prime Minister asked members not to press for more until a more suitable, occasion. ■■■-..'.... The Prime Minister's proposal was adopted, so that after 3Tst March the Tariff in children's boots and shoes to size 9 will be British preferential free; intermediate tariff 10 per cent.; general tariff 20 per cent.*