WORKERS' FOOTWEAR

Evening Star, Issue 17320, 7 April 1920, Page 4

WORKERS' FOOTWEAR

INTERESTING PRICE COM-' PARISONS. EFFECTS OF RISE IN HIDES. From" time to time our readers have been informed as to the movement of boot prices generally. The lifting of the embargo on hides has been a disaster from the point of view of the boot buyer. Mr Massey's contention that local bootmanufacturers were being undersold by Australian manufacturers, and that the high prices in New Zealand proved a lack of enterprise on the part of the local men, appears to have been wholly disproved. One of tho leading New Zealand manufacturers some time ago deposited £250 with a northern newspaper, which may be collected by anyone who "can prove" that Australian-made boots can be purchased at prices below the locally-manufactured article. The lifting of the" hide embargo alone is responsible for the bulk of the recent'increases in boot .prices, and no amount of political camouflage can effect this fact. To-day our readers may be told definitely what the. increases amount to for the "popular grades of working men's, bovs', and youths' boots. There are no fashions in the lines quoted—they are bought from sheer necessity, and the sole test of these boots is strength and the maximum amount of durability. AH orders which were not executed by manufacturers on or before the 20th ult. were ■cancelled, and the new price list then became operative. What that means to the buyers of boots of the class mentioned can be easily gauged. Our representative has been supplied with comparative prices for certain standard lines of footwear, and he has had the privilege of thoroughly examining pries lists and costs. The bona fides of our informant—a local retailer who does a large trade in working men's lines—are beyond dispute. For instance, the fortunate buyer may yet purchase at this particular shop certain lines at the old price, but as the old stock is rapidly diminishing, the new prices will shortly cover all lines. The comparative prices for boys' and youths' heavy nailed boots are as"'follow, the old price being quoted first: Size 9, 14s 3d 21s; 10, 15s 3d. 21s 6d; 11. 15s 6d. 225: 12. 15s 9d,'22s 6d; 13, 16s, 235; 1, 17s, 24s 6d; 2. 17s 6d, 255; 5, 13s. 25s 6d; 4, 18s 6d, 265; 5, 19s, 26s 6d. For a man's pegged and riveted split boot the old wholesale cost was 17s. and the new cost is 22s 6d.' This boot might bo called the "universal," in that it is worn by the large of men doing heavy outdoor work. The next quality in the same class shows an increase of 9s 6d per pair, the old cost being 21s 6d and the new cost 31s. A kip boot of better grade shows an increase in cost of 10s i 6d—from 25s to 35s 6d per pair. | It will be readily seen from these i figures that the increases represent on one line a very substantial increase in the Cost- of Living.