BOOTMAKERS' PROTEST

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 115, 19 May 1925, Page 7

BOOTMAKERS' PROTEST

AGAINST ARBITRATION COURT

AWARD.

(kV TELEGRAPH.-srECMI, TO THE POSr.J

DUNEDIN, This Day. .1 he recent award of the Arbitration Umrfc has caused so much dissatisfaction among members of the Duiiedin Operative -Bootmakers' Union that a' protest has been issued for publication. It states: "The boot trade of New Zealand is a highly protected industry The r.mount paid in direct taxation for 1923 totalled £525,915, v.hilst if the duty had been assessed on boots and shoes "made alan- d the total would b<= ±-719,010, against £412,771 paid in f306,239. The duty placed on footwear is, for the purpose of protecting the industry and to enable the manufacturers to give decent wages and conditions. If the Court is unable to grant this with th' Present high tariff, then the matter industry should be so protected. In our opimon the Court has failed to give the workers in our industry fair and iust treatment. If the poli c / o f the Court t to. accept the 1914 standard and to ™.c and reduce wages iii accordant with .he cost of hying, and to i<r nore aU anomal.es and injustices, the,T w i i, c Government StathtiViin Sve sue? -ai led U?° n P^iodicaHv to Kve such information, and thus" =aye but such decisions as the recent one only inembers.'deStr °y C°"fide'- of oil