INFERIOR FOOTWEAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25213, 30 April 1943, Page 4

INFERIOR FOOTWEAR

MANUFACTURERS DEFENDED • EXPLANATION BY MINISTER (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Apl. 29. The Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr D. G. Sullivan, in a statement to-night referred to the allegations that there had been an increased use of cardboard in the manufacture of women's footwear. The position as it existed 18 months ago certainly needed some attention, Mr Sullivan said. On the other hand, it should be pointed out in fairness to the trade that fibre board, which was the cause of the complaints, had been commonly used by the trade in all countries for many years, and was not adopted exclusively by New Zealand manufacturers. Owing to war conditions, Mr Sullivan added, there was a deterioration of this material, but the footwear manufacturers were the victims of this position equally with the users, and as soon as the poor wearing qualities were brought to their notice many, if not all of them, discontinued its use. Some manufacturers had abandoned stocks to the value of several thousands of pounds, involving a heavy loss to themselves. The footwear Industry also gave full support to the move to formulate standards that would further safeguard the position, and the 15 standard specifications formulated were endorsed by the footwear manufacturers. Mr Sullivan said that some of the footwear still on the market had been produced before the inferior fibre board for insoles was discarded, but the majority of the types of footwear being manufactured conformed to the standard specifications. Members of the public could, therefore, protect themselves by purchasing footwear that was guaranteed to conform to standard. The Minister added that there were certain types of fancy footwear that were not made to standard.