FOOTWEAR REPAIRS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 73, 27 March 1940, Page 5

FOOTWEAR REPAIRS

HIGHER PRICES POSSIBLE

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, March -26. The increased cost of leather and the shortage of certain requisites of the trade were viewed with alarm at the seventh annual conference of the Dominion Federation of the Boot Trades Associations, which has concluded in Auckland. Delegates from all parts of the Dominion were present, the president, Mr. C. Siversen, Wellington, being in the chair. The conference agreed that while the trade generally was reluctant to add to the burden of increased costs, it might be necessary to follow boot and shoe manufacturers by increasing prices for footwear repairs. Control and fixation of hide prices by the Government had somewhat safeguarded supplies of leather required by the Dominion, but increased costs of hides had necessitated a rise in the price charged by tanners for leather, which had been passed to distributors and finally to footwear repairers. . . It was reported that registration for boot and sho- makers and repairers had been sought and repeated applications had been made through Government Departments as special legislation was necessary. However, the application had not met with any success. In view of the war, it was decided to formulate a plan for the licensing of the industry under the Industrial Efficiency. Act- „ «. The Government had assured the federation, it was announced, that every effort would be made to ensure adequate and equitable supplies of the necessary requisites for the making and repairing of footwear. Mr. Siversen was re-elected president. Mr. A. J. Kerr, Invercargill, was appointed vice-president.