BOOT INDUSTRY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 4 December 1920, Page 9

BOOT INDUSTRY

AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION M.auufaci urers are passing through an anxious time owing to (he importation of large quantities of Australian loot wear, which are underselling the admittedly more substantial Dominion-made article, •.virus the Christchurch correspon(Am of the. Auckland Herald. Owing in a falling off in orders one targe concern in Christchurch has paid off a large number of its hands for this week at any rate. The manager of another concern slated (hat* if his company is compelled to pay the latest bonus of ihe Arbitral ion. Court _ he will have to put olf operatives. Fie considered that payment of the lion us will mean a great- deal of unemployment- in the boot manufacturiii industry because the industry, with strong outside competition. cannot face a further rise- in the cost of manufacture. Dominion-made leather has recently been easing in price, and last week there was a further drop. A falling market has meant certain amount of loss to manufacturers. who have, so far as increased wages would allow, been compelled to lower prices for footwear. A manufacturer stated that -o follow the trend he has had to quit stocks acquired when leather was dearer at a direct loss. This action, of course, has been assisted by the presence of the large quantities of Australian footwear. The public is expecting cheaper footwear and has nqt been purchasing to any extent. As a conretailers report an abnormal slackening in the demand. Retailers arc not buying from the manufacturers. “Why haven t we let the public have the benefit of the slightly improved buying conditions which we are experiencing in instances f ! said a retailer. “Well, one reason, as far as I am concerned, is that, my turnover's now loss and I Jiave had to increase Any margin of profit m order to be able to carry on. _ That the Australian product is thus able to secure such a pronounced advantage was bitterly commented on by manufacturers.