TANNING INDUSTRY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19980, 23 December 1926, Page 6

TANNING INDUSTRY.

Inquiries with reference to the manufacture of leather show that the tanners have experienced a very trying time. The; are unanimously of opinion that the industry is in a far from satisfactory state, and that a continuance of present conditions will see a serious decline in a very few years. The causes for this unsatisfactory state of affairs may, from the tanners’ viewpoint, generally be stated as follow;—(a) The slack times obtaining in the boot and shoe industi following on increased importations of boots and shoes; (b) the decrease in the demand for leather for leather goods and bags, due to increased importations of these lines, and the displacement of the cheaper lines of leather baps, etc., by substitutes: (c) the gradual decline in the demand for leather in the saddlery and harness business, due to the increasing use of the motor, in preference to the horse. An abstract prepared by the Government Statistician for the year ended March 31 shows that the numbers of persons finding employment in the industry shows a distinct decline over the last three years, being 561, 550, and now 495, a decrease of 12 per cent, within the short space of three years. The annual wages bill fell from £127,788 in 1923-24 to £119,671 in 1924-25, but recovered slightly to £121,280 in the latest year. The “added value,” which is obtained by subtracting the cost of materials from the value of products, and which represents the value created in the process of tanning or treatment, has decreased by 16 per cent, since 1923-24. In 1923-24 it was £207,515, but for the past year it fell to £173,224, although the cost of materials used was 33 1-3 per cent. more.

The quantity of leather produced during last year was 4,070,0991 b, an increase of 180,6961 b over the previous year, and 459,8331 b less than in 1923-24. Notwithstanding an increase in quantity, the value fell from £401,732 in 1924-25 to £381,600 in 1925-26. The number of basils pro duced droned from 213,732 in 1924-25 to 172,145 in 1925-26, while the value rose from £30,659 to £31,893. Pickled pelts show a large increase over the figure for the two previous years, almost trebled, the increase no doubt being responsible to a certain extent for the increase in the quantity of scoured and sliped wool returned in 1925-26 as compared with the figure for the previous year. In view of the facts given above, the import figures are specially interesting. The quantity and value of leather, as dist ict from the manufactures therefrom, imported during the last three calendar years are given hereinunder:— 1923. Quantity, 2.155,4791 b; value, £412.039. 1924. Quantity. 1,762,1441 b; value, £315,276. 11925.—Quantity, 1,743,2951 b; value, £341,462. Of the imports in 1925, 61 per cent, come from the United Kingdom, 19 per cent, from Australia, 10 per cent, from the United States, and 9 per cent, from Canada, In 1921 these respective countries contributed 23, 65, 8, and 2 per cent, of the total imports of leather. During the last five years the United Kingdom has displaced Australia as the principal supplier of the Dominion’s leather imports.