CLOTHING TRADE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23071, 23 June 1938, Page 18

CLOTHING TRADE

IMPORTERS' INQUIRY REPLY TO STATEMENT. VIEW OF MANUFACTURERS , In reply to the statement issued by tho Auckland Bureau of Importers giving conclusions on tho state of the clothing industry in Auckland, following a visit by its representatives to six factories, Mr. N. E. Crimp, secretary of the Auckland Manufacturers' Association! states that firms visited have since been in communication with tho association. Ho .asserts that the bureau has failed to state the position fairly as revealed at tho time of the visit of its representatives. Had it done so, the position would have been given an entirely different aspect from that published by the bureau. "The bureau seems to bo very perturbed at tho condition of the clothing trade, not because of its anxiety for the workers who havo been rendered unemployed, but because from its own admission its members aro suffering through over-buying from abroad," said Mr. Crimp. "One can well expect that in these circumstances only such phrases that suit the interests of the importers should be recorded of the factories visited and this is actually the case. For example, it did not state that the first factory visited was not representative 1 of the trade, but manufae« tured solely for its own retail store. Conditions in Factories "The Bureau of Importers did not state that the second factory, which had sold many of its machines this year, was showing a big drop in its wages bill and had lessened staff by 40 hands. I am told by the manager that he made such statements to the representatives of the bureau, and showed entries in. his books in support thereof. The fact given by him that tho output of overcoats was 700 instead of 3000 speaks volumes, but the bureau did not stato that this man considered this condition was also partly a result of importations. The bureau did not state that the third factory had made a staff reduction. The fact also that part of the staff was working 30 hours a week is equivalent to unemployment. One hundred hands working only 30 hours a week is equivalent to 75 hands working a full week.

"In respect of the fourth factory referred to," continued Mr. Crimp, "the bureau neglected to mention that the manager informed its representatives that he had to give much time each day attending to girls who were seeking work. This factory had a large part of its work done outside the factory, but this has now ceased. Regarding the fifth factory, where 80 hands were employed, the bureau did not explain that other factories in Auckland owned by the company were doing badly and had dismissed large numbers of hands. The delegation of importers did not seek out a factory in the same street where they would have found some unpalatable facts. Dismissals and Re-engagements

"It was also not mentioned by the bureau that the manager of the sixth factory informed tho visitors that this year he had already lost £IOOO in his business, and he attributed his loss of business to importations. They declined his offer to permit an inspection of his books to verify the trend in trade. That course also might have been unpalatable. Nor did the bureau explain that'the recent call for 20 girls was to replace 40 already dismissed, and who were required for tho purpose of fulfilling a contract which had to be completed at any cost. "There are numerous other and more representative factories in Auckland that present a more sorrowful picture than these factories specially chosen by tho bureau, whose members are purchasing the products of overseas labour to the detriment of tho New Zealand worker," added Mr. Crimp.

MANY UNEMPLOYED

STATEMENT BY UNION

Pointing out that the truest index of the state of the clothing industry in Auckland was afforded by conditions in his union, Mr. W. S. Moxoin, secretary of the Cutters, Pressors, Trimmers, Brushers, Folders and Other Clothing Trade Workers' Union, referred yesterday to the statement issued by the Bureau of Importers as being in keeping with other misleading statements made by tho bureau. Mr. Moxoin said that out of «a membership in tho union of 300 cutters and pressors in Auckland, 45 were unemployed, while 75 per cent of the remainder were working on short time. Apparently tho representatives of the bureau visited six factories, but there wore considerably moro than 100 in Auckland.