FOOTWEAR PROBLEM

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 103, 3 May 1943, Page 3

FOOTWEAR PROBLEM

SEEKING A SOLUTION

- A statement signed by the presi-. dent Mr. F. J. Jones, and the . secretary, Mr. G, Shields, of ithe Dominion Federation of Boot Trades Associt ations, says that -the main D . °£; ject of the resolution' passed at the annual conference was not, as reported, an indictment of footwear manufacturers of New Zealand generally, but rather to draw attention to the urgent need of, diverting labour and materials towards the manufacturing of utility types of■• footwear,and, as a war measure, substantially reducing, or cutting out altogether, the manufacture of non-essential .types, such as ultra-fashion lines,. as, by so doing, it might be possible to increase the output of children's footwear, of which there was an acute shortage, and to conserve both labour and materials, both of which were in short supply, and to manufacture footwear which is at least repairable. - , It was agreed that- the standard specifications were a step in the right direction, but nevertheless "these spec]-, fixations are applicable only to standard types of utility footwear,, and it still leaves a very wide scope for continuation of the manufacture of types of footwear which are neither essential nor desirable at the moment." The statement says that a further resolution passed was to the effect that the authorities be approached with the object of instituting classes in technical schools for tuition in bespoke bootmaking and footwear repairing, but forj. such training to be confined to appren»y tices of the trade only. There was an;, urgent need for apprentices, especially for bespoke-making, and this need would increase as the war proceeded, and, in order that a continuity of skilled tradesmen might be provided for, combined technical and practical training was strongly advocated by the federation.