BOOTMAKERS' ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17531, 24 January 1919, Page 8

BOOTMAKERS' ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

Tho annual mooting of tho New Zealand Bootmakers' Association, which was held tins year m Dunedin, was commenced on Wednesday and finished yesterday afternoon.

Tho conference was attended by the folt7u mS r> dpJe p tes ;~A«ckland-Messr ß Hornnull. DearsTey, Clark, and Rattray; Wel-hnston-Messrs Mapplobeck and Ward; Chnstohuroh-Mosßs Dβ la Cow and Best! and all the members of the Dunedin Contre. Reference was made to the death during the year of two old members of the aasoand Mr A H. Bndger (Dtinodin) and it was decided to send letters of condolence to tho families of the deceased members Xhe annual report was read by tho secretary (Mr H. Dearsley). It sLted that the j oar had been a strenuous ono. Very valuable work had been dono during the year and it was considered that the boot iclustry was m a better organised position than ever before in its history. ihe following officers wero elected for the ensuing yoar: —President, Mi- W S Neill; vice-president, Mr W. J. Hammill : secretary, Mr J. D. Rea; treasurer, Mr Richards; auditor, Mr EWdge; executiveMensrs Clark (Auckland), Mappiebeck; 1 (Wellington), H. R BeTfChrSwh)* K It was decided that tho efficiency committees for the various centres, as set up during the year, bo retained, as they had proved of real value to the association. It was decided to set up a board-of control to deal mth the Board of Trade in matters relating to the standardisation of footwear. Th e following resolution was pafes^a. — mat this conference reaffirms tho opinion that tho standardisation of footwear will be beneficial to the publio of New Zealand and our willingness to assist tho scheme.

A further resolution was passed:—"That tins conference strongly recommends the Board of Trade to first standardise hides and leather."

Mr Ward exhibited samples of shoddy footwear which he--bad purchased in the dominion. It was decided thai tho Advisory Committee bring the matter under the notice of the Board of Trade. A motion was passed affirming the desire of the members to assist returned soldiers in every way possible to return to civil life at the earliest opportunity; and expressing their gratitude to our soldiers and sailors for their self-denying work. Last night the -visiting conference members were entertained at a dinner and smoke concert in tho lounge room of the Savoy, which had been nicely decorated with pink and lavender sweet peas. Mr H. E. Skinner, president of tho Dunedin branch, occupied the chair. The toast of "Our Association" -was proposed by Mr D. E. Theomin. Hβ said that the association had been formed about 30 years ago. His recollection of its infancy end growth was that a vast amount of good was achieved by ita post presidents, notably Mr J. A. Frpstick, tho late Mr A. H. Bridger, and Mr G. A. Coles. They owed a great deal to Mr Frostiok, for it iras unquestionable that ho engineered the infant nsaociation through its struggles, first with the Conciliation' Council and later with tho Arbitration Court. These of tho company present whoso memory took them back sufficiently far would recollect that one of tho earliest members of the Conciliation Council was tho late Mr G. P. Farquhar, whoso efforts to see that the workers generally received a fair deal were recognised throughout the length and, breadth of the dominion. Mr Farquhar was. ever a* -willing worker for tho common good. Of course, they were aware that the world Mas full of willing people—some willing to work and the rest willing to let them. The work of the association was naturally almost unending, but, in his opinion, there were two questions which would most certainly force themselves upon their notice ere they were very much older. The one most insistent was the demand of labour for shorter hours and increased wages, whilst, paradoxical as it might seem, it was tho representatives of Labour -who were tha loudest in their cry for a reduced cost of Irving. Personally, he was of opinion that this increased cost in regard to • boots ' was in the first place duo to an admittedly world shortage of cattle. The manufacturers in America and the Old World must have leather, consequently their competition for Ncsw_ Zealand hides .had forced up and was continuing to force up the price in the dominion.. Owing to there being a free export of hides, the tanners of New Zealand had to face the world values or close their tanneries, and as Australian sides were fetohin.fr to-day in London up to 4s per lb, it .could easily be seen that the tanneries in New Zealand were up .against what might bo termed & "tough proposition." The free export of hides worked in exactly tho same way as did, and does, tho free export of butter, of cheese, and of their produce generally. The results were great wealth, to the squatters arid large producers, with greatly increased cost of living- to the publio of New Zealand, the majority of whom he took leave to say, wore of the wageearning class. Had it ever occurred to some of the critics that salted hides, costing at a-uetiot, Is per lb, mean Is 6d per lb for weight of leather produced, and this without any addition whatever for labour," for bark, for electric or steam power, or for any single article required in the Production. The second question which he felt sure would engago the attention of the Government, and consequently of the association, after the next general election, would be tariff reform. It was over this question that a united front -would be of the greatest and most vital importance. Individual interests would have to be • put aside and made subservient to the general welfare Before asking them to.drink to the toast he would like them to join id support of an arithmetical proposition which he would put to them. It wua this: Addition to our trade, multiplication to our factories, subtraction to taxes, andi reduction to all'forms of snobbery and jobbery.—(Applause.) A. number of. other toasts were proposed and responded to. and a most enjoyable musical programme was presented. During the evening the Chairman presented Mr Hammill, the outgoing president of- the association, with a handsome tea service.