STANDARDISED BOOTS.

Northern Advocate, 1 March 1921, Page 2

STANDARDISED BOOTS.

The display of "standardised footwear" which is being made in Whangarei under the auspices of the Board of Trade is worthy of public attention. Tho standardised boo" is the result of the Board's efforts to -cheapen one of the necessaries of life, and io the layman this particular effort appears to have been pleasantly successful. Boots advanced enormously in price during the war period and subsequently, and inquiries made by the Board served to show that 'the only means of relief that could bo applied was an alteration of manufacturers' methods. Energy was being wasted inasmuch as many manufacturers were engaged in what the Board described as "miscellaneous trading without economic standards." A dozen manufacturers, it was said, might each make a dozen types of boots or shoes at a loss, though if each manu-

facturer concentrated his efforts on one type he might easily convert the loss into a profit and. at the same time give tho public a cheaper article. Standai'rtisaiioTi. of products had been sadly neglected and unnecessary variations had been allowed to intrude themselves hecause it had been nobody's business to see that they were reduced to n minimum. The Board set out to attain this minimum by means of the promotion of specialisation, which makes for greater output, assured quality and cheaper prices. The production and distribution of the standardised boots and«shoes that are being made in the Dominion are controlled by the Board. A manufacturer who wishes to make standardised footwear has 1o obtain a license'from the Board, and tho sole of each standardised boot has to be branded with the maximum retail price. This is fixed by the Board so as to allow a reasonable proiit to the manufacturer and a fair return for his services to the retailor, and ihe system should ensure the provision of good boots at moderate i prices. Excellent materials and equally good workmanship arc available in the Dominion, and standardised boots, so far as we are able to judge, are not lacking in stylo and appearance. We ! are, however, afraid that they have not yet become very popular; in fact, many parts of the Dominion seem 1o have heard very little about them. If: the public had more information in regard to standardised boots and saw more of them a very strong demand for them •would be created. They are good, serviceable boots, of guaranteed quality, since they are inspected by officers of -the Labour Department before they are issued from the factories. They conform to certain styles, but there is, after all, no real reason why boots should be made in a thousand and one varieties, and it is worth while to sacrifice a little variety in order to ensure moderate prices. Provided that the interosts of manufacturers and retailers, as well as those of the consumers, are adequately safeguarded, the system of standardisation appears to be economically sound and sensible.