HIDES AND BOOTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10541, 18 March 1920, Page 7

HIDES AND BOOTS

(To the Editor "N.Z. Times.") Sir,—Arrayed in tho lion's skin of a Cabinet Minister, the- Hon.- W. Nosworthy has essayed to roar. Tho result has been a deplorable, but inevitable revelation. Mr Nosworthy and his chief offi cer knows as much about hides and boots as I do about cows or horses. His complacent smugness as to the reason why hides were withheld from' the market is too much for my sense of gravity. Mr Massev admitted 'that one holder of hides had £U,OOO worth at present values. Well, a profit of .£30,000 *>y sitting tight is not so bad! !Mr Nosworthy has quoted a lot of figures that lead to nowhere. I supplied a costing of a standardised boot showing an increase of over a third in selling Erice, and Mr Nosworthy says the gures requiro analysis by an oxpert. I have forwarded an application to the Board of Trade for a revision of price, based on that costing, and this should secure the oxpert revision suggested. I suggest the Government put into force clauses 13 or 23 of the Board of Trade Act, 1919, and thus end the controversy. Meantime, here are a few points air Nosworthy and his department may be able to clear up» When the New. Zealand embargo was raised, was the Government aware that the lifting of tho Australian embargo in May of last year caused ; leather to rise 100 per cent, and boots 35 per cent, in & period of seven months?- This appeared in an Australian journal, and is iborne out by quotations received here. As to the imports of boots from Australia, I have stated until I am tired of repeating, that New Zealand had to have boots; price did not matter. Is the department war* that over a quarter of a million pairs are on order from Australia at the present moment, at abso. lutely open prices ? Is the department aware that similar ladies' shoes sold by New Zealand manufacturers 'at 29s 6d per pair are being landed from Australia at up to <tls per pair, and the U.£.A. at 45s per pair, and may be found in the same Tetail shop? Does Mr Nosworthy suggest these goods should only carry the same amount for socalled profit? Mr B. Newman denied that ho repeated Mr Masser's statement, "that huge profiteering hud boen dono was unquestioned." Mr .1 - . Mapplebeck, the president of the B<jt Manufacturers' Association, referred to this statement as "damnable," and I endorse the sentiment. What are the authorities going to do about it? CHUKLBS J. WAED.