DEARER REPAIRS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23615, 27 March 1940, Page 10

DEARER REPAIRS

BOOTS AND SHOES POSSIBILITY SUGGESTED ANNUAL MEETING OF TRADE The increased cost of leather and other materials and the shortage of certain requisites of the trade were viewed with alarm at the seventh annual conference of the Dominion Federation of Root Trades' Associations. which has concluded in Auckland. Delegates from all parts of the Dominion were present, the president, Mr. C. Siversen, of Wellington, presiding. The conference agreed that, while the trade generally was reluctant to add to the burden of increased costs, it might be necessary to follow the boot and shoe manufacturers hv increasing the prices for footwear repairs. The control and fixation of hide prices bv the Government had somewhat safeguarded the supplies of leather required by the Dominion, but the increased cost of hides had necessitated a rise in leather by the tanners which had been passed to the distributors and finally to the footwear reboot and shoe makers and repairers bad been sought, and repeated applications had been made through Government departments. As special legislation was necessary, however, the application had not met with any success. In view of the "war it was decided to formulate a plan for the licensing of the industry under the Industrial™ Efficiency Act. The Government had assured the federation, it was announced, that cverv effort would be made to ensure adequate and equitable supplies of necessary requisites for making and repairing footwear.