CHEAPER FOOTWEAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21314, 15 October 1932, Page 13

CHEAPER FOOTWEAR

EASTERN TRADE INCREASING MENACE TO LOCAL INDUSTRY STATE INTERVENTION SOUGHT [I)Y TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL RKPORTER] WELLINGTON", Friday Urging that increasing importations of cheap footwear from Japan, the Federated Malay States and Straits Settlements were a menaco not only to manufacturers and operatives in New Zealand, but also to farmers and the tanning industry, a deputation from the New Zealand Boot Employees' Federation and the New Zealand Boot Manufacturers' Association waited on the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, to-day, to request Government intervention. Mr.. F. Jones. M.P., who introduced the deputation, said they were anxious to bring under the Prime Minister's notice the growing importation of canvas and rubber shoes and complete rubber shoes. Importations from Japan had increased from 2112 dozen pairs (valued at £1387) in 1950 to 10,743 dozen pairs (£7507) in 1931, and 21,958 dozen pairs (£11,933) for the first nine months of 1932. There had been corresponding increases in imports from the Malay States and Straits Settlements. The duty was 50 per cent on imports from Japan and 25 per cent on the others, but since the average prices of the goods were only lid (Japanese) and Is 6d (Malayan), the duty did not make much difference. The retail prices were so cheap that working men were induced to wear the shoes in the summer months. Mr. C. A. Watts, secretary of the Employees' Federation, said that the Japanese shoe was a splendid imitation of that imported from Canada, and was so much cheaper that Canada would soon lose the market. The importations hurt not only the operatives whom he represented, but also the manufacturers, the tanning industry and the farmers. Mr. J. A. East, president of the Boot Manufacturers' Association, declared that these cheap shoes were a menace to the industry, which, although it had lately concentrated on making footwear suitable for summer wear, was unable to compete with Japan's cheap labour. Some of the rubber shoes were such good imitations of leather that they would probably come to be worn in winter months, also ruining the winter trade. " No civilised country could face competition of this sort," replied the Prime Minister. " One of our big problems is in regard to these excessively low-priced goods. Formerly we have always been able to deal with them by tariffs, but it seems that these goods are beyond even tariffs." He mentioned several other examples of " staggeringly low prices" at which Japanese goods were being sold and promised to discuss the whole matter with the Comptroller of Customs.