BOOTS AND SHOES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13996, 31 August 1907, Page 5

BOOTS AND SHOES

AN ALLEGED "CORNER."

OBJECT-LESSONS IX COLONIAL "SHODDY."

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON", August 30. The 1 items in tho*scheduie of the Tariff Bill dealing with boots and shoes furnished material for ail interesting debate to-night Mr Hardy, whese tabic was covercd with a collection of boots and shoos mid slippers containing several specimoue of colonial | shoddy," waxed indignant concerning the iniquities of the New manufacturer, " What have wo Jiore?" lie asfcwl. holding' up one sample. "Bulls' wool, cardboard, and brown paper!" he exclaimed, with scornful emphasis. "It is a disgrace to iho colony. It is only worth that, ho added, as ho toro iho shoddy twrticlo asunder and held iho severed por* tions (one in-each hand) up to the wondering gaze of his fellow-members. Mr Hardy alter several speeches ,and> repealed display of his weird and wonderful collection of footwear. stoied that ,ii syndicate wft3;.no\v in process of formation to corner the boot industry of this colony. Thov. talk nl-ijuT Rockefellers in America, but. we fiad Rockefellers here hi our midst. He was not soing to subscrilio'to any tariff that/would bring about (his state "of things. "Wo wore." ho added, " prepared for a reason-' able amount of Protection, but we were not prepared to build up syndicates to corner this industry. If tho Minister wishes information." said Mr Hardy with emphasis. "I have if in my pocket, "and I'll bo able to show it to him. I am not talking about thmw« I ilo not understand." Mr Millar, in reply, said t.liat two commercial travellers had assured him \that since the new tariff came into force their orders were three times as great as before the naming of those resolutions. The result would lie an increased demand for hides pelts, and wattle baric. ..Mr Lmrenson said the whole history of the syndicate referred to hv Mr Hardv was tlmf sonic factories had combined to specials—one was ;to devote itself to the roanufacturo of children's boots. Another

to tho manufacture of women's boots, and a third to the manufacture of men's boots. In' tjiis way they hoped to prOduco at a cheaper rate a better article than they had hitherto prochiood. " If you are going to give the people free sugaT to sweeten.them," said Mr Hardy, in returning to tho, : subject, "you aTC going to charge thorn through tho nose for their boots and shoos,". '