ENEMY MADE GLOVES

Evening Star, Issue 16225, 21 September 1916, Page 2

ENEMY MADE GLOVES

ABE IMPORTATIONS REACHING NEW \ ZEALAND? [Special to the ' Star.’] CHRISTCHURCH, September 21. home days ago a correspondent wrote to ' iw ?v Spa ? e -! dnuvin S attention to the fact that though it is over two years since the war started his wife brought home a pair . * ud Stoves purchased in the city ■which, on examining afterwards, she found stamped with the words; “ Made " ' JJi Ausma. ’ Very naturally the corrcsoonuent assumed that these particular rtoves -and probaWy more of the same make—aad been imported since the outbreak'of ■ «?ar and be asked how it was hoped to expresent enemy goods after the war if .rJ£ ln J= conflict, enemy goods were Imported? ° Inquiries made by a representative of the Press showed that the Customs authorities were very positive in their opinion that it was neltmdoor to impossible for enemy goods so pass them and they especially stressed tne point that enemy goods intended for , export to British countries, or to allied countries, would not be stamped “Made in Ger- « Austria, or Saxony. The officers of the department were stated to be very keen in their efforts to detect goods of enemy country manufacture, and the importations of gloves were being especially watched. Gloves imported from'neutral countries, such •s Switzerland, must be supported by the :ertjficato of the British Consul in the place From which the gloves were sent that they were the manufacture of that place. The Customs authorities declared that there was not the-slightest doubt that goods branded Made m Austria,” or Saxony, or any enemy aountry, were undoubtedly and unquestion*b!y imported before tho war. ; ; ■ _ The reporter called upon tho representatives of several firms who deal in gloves t^e ™ § Ol, their opinions as to the likelihood of importations of enemy goods being received at present, or since the outbreak of the war. At-one big establishment he was shown i small bos with not 20 pairs in it, all of which- were branded “Made in Prussia” J rol f y° lm S ,ad y in charge ihcited the fact that these had been in stock lome two years or 18 months, and that they were really the residue of the orders given on or about the commencement of the war. Inera had not been a single consignment of Austrian or Prussian gloves brought in since the completion of the orders previous to August 4, 1914. Of that she was sure. The reporter, was then taken to the accountant, jdated that the Imperial regulations and the fines and imprisonments that had been inflicted on would-be evaders of the law in England had been so stringent that it was hardly likely that an attempt to palm off Austrian or Prussian goods as manufactured hi neutral countries would ho made. The -ruth was that the gloves in question had teen imported before the war, and had been lold to meet the demand. The reporter was ’ mown English gloves from Dent and Alcroft and Co. far superior to the Prussian article, ; f - Put they,were priced at 17s 6d down to 9s 6d, whilst the Prussian gloves were priced at 4s Sd upwards. Thera was no importation of Austrian" or Prussian goods. The importation was barred by the fact that no neutral food were even admitted into England for Export, unless guaranteed by the British Consul’s certificate. Tho invoices of goods In the Arawa were all thus guarded.