JETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 4, 5 July 1943, Page 4

JETTERS TO THE EDITOR

QUALITY OF FOOTWEAR

Sir, —The executive of the Bureau of Importers has read with considerable interest the statement made by Mr. E. R. Norman, president of the New Zealand Footwear Manufacturers' Federation, wherein he tried to explain away the use of cardboard by New Zealand manufacturers. The bureau would like to point out that it has always very actively opposed the total prohibition of the importation of leather footwear from Great Britain. The Labour Government, however, decided in favour of the local manufacturers, and granted them a complete monoply. Since they have had this monopoly it is a well-known fact that the quality of leather footwear generally in this country has deteriorated, and now that we have war conditions it is worse than ever. It is quite un•just and unfair for Mr. Norman to cast reflections on leather footwear which was imported many .years ago, and to infer that the- shoddy • stuff which the public are now obtaining is imported We would like to point out to the public of this country that when the Labour Government grants a monopoly to secondary industry they pay the. penalty of having to purchase goods of low quality at prices which have been raised out of all, propor-tion.—-I am, etc., ' A. M. DOULL, Secretary, Bureau of Importers.