THE TRADES OF AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5628, 29 November 1879, Page 5

THE TRADES OF AUCKLAND.

, v ' Withk tho past fiva years the trades and industries carried on in and around Auckland have increased in number, and now give steady employment to a large number of persons. Auckland, indeed,. possesses special advantages for being the seat o£ manufacturing industry. It has two splendid harbours, giving it access to both sides of the colony, to Australia, and to the multitudinous islands of the Pacific. From the many harbours of tho northeastern coast, and from navigable rivers such as tho Thames, plentiful supplies of raw material, used in some manufactures, may be brought. Within tho last few years also coalfields of great extent havo been -opened/up within easy distance of the city. The position and resources of Auckland as a seat of manufac.uring industry,. 13 indeed superior to that of any city in New Zealand, and indeed of any city in the Australasian colonies. Wellington has a splendid commercial position, but as a seat of manufactures it is simply nowhere as compared to Auckland, while Lyttelfcon or Christchurch can never have the nocessary natural facilities. Dunedin has been happily placed in many respects, as for instance, in having a large goldmining population dependent upon it for supplies, and it is also fortnnate in tho energy and enterprise of its people. But eveu Dunedin cannot equal Auckland in all tho requisites for a manufacturing town, and our superiority will tell in tho long run. ThU is but the day of small things, bat it must not be despised for that reason, and therefore wo are always gla>i to notice progress. In writing of the mauufaoturing industries which have been commenced in Auckland, we shall state what those engaged in the p?>rticular trade think ought to ba done, by alterations in tho tariff, towards encouraging it. In some caso3 these changes would involve no principle, and at onoe be acceded to; in others tbey raiso th'e entire question of protection or frco trade. "VVe shall make at present no remarks oa the views and arguments adduced by the manufacturers, simply stating the plain facts whereon they baao their desire for protection for local industries. We commence oar notices of the Auckland industries with

THE BOOT AND SHOE TRADE. '.'■ j It m only about 13 years ago since the manufacture of boot 3 and shoes was commenced in Auckland. In 1866, Mr. George Humus, whose factory is situated in Upper Queen-streot, we.s the first to start the manufacture, and when ho showod the first goods ever put into the wholesale market hers, although afc a lower price than the imported article, be was met by the universal prophecy that his venture would be certain to bo a failure, »nd that it would be impossible for him to manufacture the'goods and hope to compete with the old country. He persevered, however, and soon proved that he could. Uia example was very shortly after followed by other manufacturers, and the business steadily advanced in growth, until at the present- moment there are no fewer than nine wholesale manufacturers ot boots end shoes in this city. They are as follows: —Mr. George Hemus, Messrs. Parker and Green, Mr. W. Trenwith, Messrs. Garretfi Bros., Mr. Foster, Messrs. Prince aud Davy, Mr. A.. Black, Messrs. Wilkjijf. Bros., Mesers. J. J. Austin aa'd Co. Tc 'iTr. Georrs JT?raus belongs the credit of hatr>u b ' baet* the iirst to introduce maohiiiery ir, the manufacture of boots and shoe 3 into Auckla.iU,. he did about the year 1868. Since n>zy of the most modern and costly tt.p.ohj:Va used in the trade have been imported troes England and America, and all of the niuc firms named have a full plaat; consisting of such machines as sewing, blocking, eyeletting, perforating (for toe caps), aplitting or chase skivers, toe-cap preeses, aud eccentric and screw presses for cutting soles. Two manufacturing firms, Messrs. Parker and Green, and Mr. . Foster, have each a Blake sole sowing machine, made in America, the cost of which is £300. Mr. Hemus has, in hie factory, a magnetic lasting machine, by means of which a magnetic hammer picks up

loas and ingenious manner. Steam power is employed by Messrs. Garrett Brothers and Mr. Trenwith in driviug .their machinery, the others driviug theirs by manual labour. We mention all this in order to show that no expense has been spared by the wholesale manufacturers in fitting, tip their establishments with the very latest and most improved machinery which can !»"- obtained from abroad. Every year, since* Mr. Hemus first commenced business, some new brand oE goods never before attempted has been started, such as the lighter fancy articles, and now he is making Cashmere and lasting goods. • . :; The number of hands at present employed by the nine wholesale manufacturers is 320, and the aggregate amount of goods turned over per mensem ia about £9500, or £114,000 per annum. When it is taken into con-, sideration that Vro business of manufacturing boots and shoes has attained Buah proportions in the face of all the difficulties that it has had : to., enoouhter, viz.:— (l) Tho great scarcity of elnlied labour, and the necessity of training hands! (2) the heavy duties fad valorem Jon some -.articles used which it has had to contend against,-and (3) the limited demand . for such' goods in a small country like ; :this —when, all this is considered,,":: the manufacturers now I ask what' may* 'not. be expected if the industry were fostered and encouraged with protective duties when the demand becomes greater, as it will become as the colony grows. Notwithstanding all the disadvantages under whicli the-trade has laboured, and the universal depression that has prevail d in almost every branch bfc industry, this branch has been, steadily on the increase, and, it is urged, needs only judicious protection to compete successfully with imported goods. About a month ago a meeting of all the boot and shoe manufacturers was held in Auckland for the purpose of taking into consideration the whole subject of thtir

industry, especially with reference to the matter of some articles of raw and msunfactured material used in connection mth their trade that, in their opinion, should bo exempt from duty, so as to on» able them to compete successfully with the manufactures of the old country. The universal opinion was that all the articles need iu their trade, which cannot be manufactured here, should be admitted free, and that, on the other hand, any of which the manufacture has of late years been initiated, and ia bsing carried on in thia colony, should be fostered aud protected by. a light protective duty. What seems to be the opinion of all those interested in this wholesale manufacture is that, when the making of any particular line of goods, or any material used id their business hith-rto never before attempted, i 3 initiated iu the colony, the local industry should bj protected juat eufficiontly to enable it to be started here under encouragement; and also, that all articles that cannot be m&nufaetared here should be admitted duty free. Thit is the broad principle on which they all agree. Take, for instance, the ona item of raw machine silk and thread, very largely used in the trade, and which is not and cannot be made, at any rate, for years to come, in thia place. Last year Government was petitioned to remove the duty off this item, and another, elastics, both extensively employed in tho manufacture of boots and shoes. The latter item was admitted free, but on the former, viz., silk, not only the formor ad valorem duty has been retained, but aa additional 5 per cent, has been now imposed on its importation. Linings nro another vexy important item, entering aa they do so extensively into the manufacture. Property speaking, this ■ j item should come, it ia claimed, under the head of grindery, on which the duty Ba3 been .i taken off; but there is w> Hue drawn defining distinctly what is under the term "grindery." Brown drill ia made for no other purpose and "used for. no other purpose than for boot and shoe linings, and.as it is not and cannot be made bere it should ba admitted free. It may be urged that were this done, it would leaire open 3 doorfor drapeis to bringinfrea othtr artides—such as . calicoes- 'iaens, and drill, which are also used for lininqc, under the head of boot and shoe linings ; Wt against this objection is brought the facS that "coaebmakers' calicoes »fl&ve just been exempted from duty, the same line of reasoning would apply to them. Ennlish and French calf skies and Kid Etas are used very largely indeed iu Auoklnnd. It is true, colonial calf is being made here, • an well as tweed and kira, by four tanneries, but only about one-sixth of the entire .

quantity of oiilf t'uat is used here can be supplied- in colonial calf.fthat beiDg about the proportion that, is grovrn: in the colony. "Atpresentthe duty od all kinds [of leather is Id perlb.. and on sole leather Jd per lb. What the;'majority of these firms now desire i.«, that all imported leather ;of any kind whatsover that is not"manufactured here ohonld be admitted free, and they would'to willing to pay even an increased aniy r,f 2d or even 3d a lb. on such leather as i-i manufactured here — such as colonial c'v'f, kip. tweed; also, on sole leather; a supply cau begot here. By tap new tariff, morocco, roan, japanued, and enamelled leather, and tanned and dressed Beale'sios and goatskins have been admitted, frjs, but these are all nsed by coaohMakers, and do not affect the trade of boot and shoe manufacturers. The imported leathers, which cannot and are not attempted to be mannfacfcured here, are English and French Cilf, German and American kid, Levant, patent leathers. A firm in Sidney; t<? be surs, has commenced the manu:V.:r.uro of pateut leather, but it cannot co.-Vj.sS'J in quality with the imported article, nui, as boot manufacturers inuet have the-Very best article, it is not much ÜBed by them. Should the manufacture be attempted here it would then be time to move for some provision to protect and foster such a local industry. Upon an average, taking the business done by all the firms engaged~in manufacturingboots and shoes iu Auckland, fully one half o£ fc'ie outturn finds a market withii the province of Auckland, and of the ether half, the greatur portion goes to the South Island, with iv smaller supply to the So-ath Sea Islands. We are informed that the making of bo'pts ami shoes is carried.on. more largely jio. Auckland than in all the rest of tho colony put together, and if this be 30, it bears out what wo have already 'stated,-that we possess supeiior facilities as a manufacturing place. . There are four lirms in Auckland engaged iu the mantUaohnre of uppers, viz. : A. K. and F. Goodscre, Jon*s & Co , W. Hyiarid, "Messrs. 'Bitterns and Shepherd/ The number o£ hands employed by the four firms, amount in all, at the present, to about 40. These four firine, at the present time, turn out about 300 pairs per week, or 1200 pairs a month. Eighteen months ago, there were not less than 800. pairs a week made. Theto are several reasons for the fallinct-cff at the business. Oae was She duty having been taken off the timber ;,ftod, as many of the men employed in the bush wore tho "colonial-made uppers, being tl.ib'vn out of employment by the saw-mil's boj.ug shut up, • they came into the -towns: ,ind bought: other boots. But the principal cause they attribute to the duty at .present on imported uppers not being sufficiently high to give the local industry protection. 'I'hey contend that, if their business was protected, so that they could have e chance of competing, with any hope.of success, ".rpitfee imported article, they Cin.ld easily ;ivlr or four tii'ies ar tasny hands. ..Che of ;2og<w'.-t,»t's- oost here 7s 3d,cost oulysa 3d in the oldcountry.leaving a difference of 23aaamargintocompete against. To give the manufacturer a chance of competiag with imported goods, whp,t they desire is to have the duty oh uppers, at. present 15 per cent., raised to 25 per cent. They also coincide in the desire of the wholesale boot and shoe manufacturers to have all articles o£ raw or material U3ed in connection with their particular industry; that oarinofc be made here, admitted free of duty, aad ioput a protective duty on any that can be manufactured here, as before specified. ThG average import of uppers into Auckland ia about 2750 pairs per annum. With reference to.tt>p foregoing,.and at an intimate connection-.jhe industry with the other, Messrs.. Ireland Brothers, iarsners, of Vulcan Lans, 3tatc that in- theii' opinion (which tfrey have urgiid uu Mnjoc Atkinson only Tery recently) the following; articles should all be protected! by having a duty of ati; toast 20j per.; cent. ad valorem plac&i npou them". .These can all be made in the colony :■—Saddlery 'and harneai; of all-' descriptions, boots aid. shoes, bcot and shoi vamps and uppers, iossher straps of all : ki:\dß, leggings and gaiters of all kinds, leather, hose (auction and delivery), leather fir_e-b':okets, millbelting, leather Jaoes o£ ali kinds, leather cut into shape, sosettea of leather. On till the above, T/ith.the exception of millbelting, these is at present a duty of 10 per cent. Iβ. addition, .Ireland Brothers advocate thai.'-on sole or kip. Heather, Id per lb. should be paid instead of OJd as at present; on kips, 2d per ib., of Id as at pre-' sent j on all othoc kinde of leather, 2d per lb., instead of Id, as at present.