STANDARDISED BOOTS

NZ Truth, Issue 730, 14 June 1919, Page 2

STANDARDISED BOOTS

'Another "Bogey" to be Buried' Can or Will the Hon. Mac Donald Explain? . Thus Cr. ,J. Hutehison, secretary to the Bootmakers' Union, Wellington: — If evidence is required to prove that the spinal cord or backbone of this country,, -viz.. the farming element, controls the' actions of the present jVjCpJluston Government." one has only , &9~ review the jellyfish attempt to cJieapen the -price of hides. Early m .1916 it was decided by Order-in-Coun-cil to. restrict the exportation of hides of 451 b. weight and over, the intention being that the land tliat produced such an essential article should be the 'first to provide for its own wants' previous to supplying 1 worlrfs combines and trusts. The representations of the combined tanners were responsible for the legislation, which, by the way, allowed the.; -Minister for Munitions power, to grant pei-mits, should' the local market-prices not l-each the minimum fixed by the Government. BUT THE FARMERS DECIDED that they would resort to a/ go-slow policy by the way of declining td" sell any of bovines' overcoats whatsoever. The vigilant Auckland Farmers' Union suggested' that the Government sh.ouia, commandeer : hides at. any price., and* tan -them, : "and not put ••. thenf (the farmers) at the mercy, of, ''the tanners and ' dealers.-" -Here was|a. gilt-edged opportunity to., .commandeer "at' any price" the whole ,of the hide output, but when the situation demanded strong retaliative action the Government showed that it. was dead from the shoulders upwards by climbing down to the squatocracy and revoking the Order-in-Council. For two years the public of New Zealand has been, fleeced by EXCESSIVE CHARGES- FOR • LEATHER, . but with . thoughts that hostilities would cease and allow an, election to take place, it was decided that the aptly termed Board of Trade should put on its Government-manufactured spectacles, and devise means whereby locally manufactured footwear should be cheapened. After four years of war, and apparently much read-ups of other countries adopting- a "standardised" boot, it was resolved that this was the peg to hang- the- Government "castor" on. and. consequently, expert'advice was obtained to make a certainty that the Board was on the right track, the result being that the Hon. W. D. Mac Donald announced that a greatlywhittled ' embargo would be reimpbsed on hides, |"to enable the boot manufacturers to proceed" with the standard boot scheme." But the "Evenirig Post"' possesses a :long memory, particularly so when the Government proposed- ,totread on the : CORNS OF THE RURAL. % PROFITEERS, and m February of this year concluded an article by; saying: ' " ' It ; is, of " course, obvious that con- - trol of boots means some measure ;of control of hides and skins, and .the Government will either have- to drop the' scheme of standard boots or will have to take the responsibility of offending a powerful interest — a course that for years past no big politician m this country has been sufficiently courageous to adopt. And even if the Hon. Mr.. , Mac Donald stands. to his guns what will Cabinet say 'and What will Mr. . /Massey say? ■<•■■■ • Up to date the general -public have no data what Mr.- Massey. hag said to the scheme, but we are aware tjftat all the gamblers m hide prices were assembled by the Government to assist m carrying the proposal into effect, but ended without declaring:- peace/ or even burying the hatched ,: We know,, .that "the, producers' objected m toto to any -limitation of prices." Since the date of holding this conference we are told by the Press that/thfere "is a possibility that the scheme will not go through" and the question now arises: Who is responsible -for ; /vscotchjng- .«•■' the ■■■ proposed scheme to CHEAPEN BOOTS AND SHOES? Further, it..w,auld- beTmseffui. information to' know what 'expense, was in-, curred m . arranging meetings of leather manipulators, experts* advice, manufactured samples, etc., m an at-> tempt to construct a. visionary standardised.' boot. . Perhaps .'the Hon. Mr. Mac Donald could offer some explanation .why "the people are prevented trdm perambulating Maoriland m . footwear, '■; designated Government standardised boots. ' ."