The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8. 1911. "SHODDY" BOOTS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 57, 8 March 1911, Page 4

The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8. 1911. "SHODDY" BOOTS.

One may not always agree with . Mr T E Taylor'sl political and proniDition views, but there is no g'^f^ the fact that, when once he takes^up a position which he considers, to be m the public interest he exhibits^ a tenacity and strength oi will from which admiration cannot well be withheld,, An s instance of this buMog4ike determination is afforded by Mr Taylor's attitude on what has been called the oardbcaEd boot question. Mr Taylor it may be remembered, stated in the' House last session that boobs of a very inferior quality, containing a larger proportion of cardboard, than honest leather, were being sold m JNew Zealand. Certain boot manufacturers, both in Christchurch , a nd in Wellington, thereupon waxed- * exceedingl v wroth, and the Boot Manufacturers Association passed a resolution severely condemning the Member tor Ohristchurch North. For some timo Mr Taylor has remained silent under the charges of inaccuracy and rashne ■"> which were made against him by the ms-nufacturers; but he has now a r in referred to the subject. In the cc-.'.rso of 'an'interview at Christchurch la1 '; week he stated that he had just purchased, in Wellington, a pair of shoes o* tho class he had condemned, and gafe the results of a dissecting, operation he had conducted on tbe articles* "The insole was cardboard, tbe toe-cap stiffening was of the'same material,, with some newspaper pacding"—alas, "to what base uses!"— and "scrim and cardboard" also entered into the composition of other parts of the boots. No wonder that the boots, for which 12s 6d a pair was given, "practically pulped" after a heavy shower of rain. Mr Taylor did not state whether these "shoddy" boots wert» sold as being of New Zealand manufacture. It is quite possible that they were imported goods, and that tho indignant Boot Manufacturers' Association may still; indignantly deny that such contemptible concoctions are turned out of any New Zealand boot factory. But foithe public which buys boots, and especially for the working classes, who perforce vhavo to buy cheap boots, the real question-at issue is whether such boots should be allowed to be sold at all, 'unless marked clearly as not being "all leather." If there is a real necessity for "shoddy" boots, which we very much doubt, let it be clearly understood by the purchaser that he is buying a mixture of cardboard, scrim, and newspaper padding, and not honest, reliable leather. In France a jeweller who sells imitation jewellery or jewellery into the composition of which bas© metals and falso gems enter, ■is compelled by law to mark such' goods ■ "imitation" when he exposes them for sale. The State prevents, or is supposed to prevent, adulteration of food products and compounds, and at the risk of being denounced as supporting "socialistic," or "paternal" or ►"meddlesome" legislation, we contend that .there-should-bo 'sonn* legal provision by which the sale of "shoddy't boots and shoes should be prevented, unless sold with a .clear, declaration that they are what they are, a sham, a, counterfeit, and a fraud. The yearly boot and shoe bill of a working man ,who hasi a large family is a matter of very serious coasequence to him, and no language which we could employ Would be too severe in which to express our condemnation of this miserable trickery and greed1 of a little extra profit which induces a boot vendor to sell as genuine leather what is a compound of cardboard, scrim, and newspaper padding. Mr Taylor deserves the thanks of the whole community for the courage and determination he has displayed in endeavoring to get to the bottom of a very "dirty .business. If this rubbish is not made in New Zealand, at least it is sold here, and in their own interests the New Zealand Bootmakers' Association should thoroughly investigate the complaints made by the Member for Christchurch .North. As to the interests of the public, they can be best safeguarded by legislation, which we hope and expect to see introduced next session. Legislation on the lines we have suggested will not hurt the honest trader. As for the despicable trickster, whether he be manufacturer cr importer, who sells such rubbish he deserves no pity if he is made (o pay a severe penalty for his ill deeds