THE LEATHER INDUSTRY

Otago Witness, Issue 3275, 20 December 1916, Page 6

THE LEATHER INDUSTRY

—a. QUESTION OF COMMANDEERING HIDES. A deputation representing the leather induscrv waited on uie Hon. J. Allen (Acting Prime Minister) on the 12th to urge upon him that tho Government should commandeer the hide production of tho dominion, 'iiie deputation was introduced by Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P., Messrs C. E. Statham and A. Walker, M.P.'s, were also present. Mr Tonkins (representing tho tanners) submitted reasons for the rise in the prico of leathers. Tanners were _ paying an abnormal price for raw materials, 'iho price of all tanning materials had risen considerably, in some cases equal to 200 per cent. Further, there was a shortage of hides. In his own business-place that day out of eight lime-pits, three were empty. He contended : (I) That the quantity of hides kept back in the dominion was not sufficient for even tho military work. This had been proved beyond any question. (2) That tho shortage of hides meant u reduced number of men in tho tanneries. The majority of these men were over military ago and had families, and having been at this work all their lives they were not fitted for other work, if tin-own out of employment. (3) Tho continued increase in the cost of hicks, owing to till almost unchecked exportation, had forced up the cost of leather until tho prico the worker had to pay for his boots and shoes pressed very severely indeed upon him. For example, children's boots which before tho war cost tho worker 5s were now costing 9s 6d. Such a rise was intolerable. His own boots, for which he paid 8s 6d before the war, now cost him 12s 6d. Was it fair, he asked, that tho workers and tho public in general should bo exploited by a fortunate but selfish few who had already benefited to a vast extent owing to the war, and without having had to put in but little, if any, excess work in order to secure these abnormal prices with the profits they carried? Ho wished to place these suggestions before the Acting Prime Minister: That the Government commandeer all hides, paying for them by valua-

tion, based on the value of hides exported in 1915, when 270,972 hides were sent out of the dominion, the value being £502,896, or an average of 37s lid per hide, the Government to supply tanners with their normal requirements at a commission of, say, 5 per cent., the balance to be exported by the Government solely for the requirements of the Empire. Thus, the Empire and the dominion as a whole would alike be benefited in place of the unearned increment going into the pockets of merely one section of the community. Mr Lindsay addressed the Minister on behalf of the Tanners' Operative Association; Mr Neil and others spoke for the Boot Manufacturers' Association; Mr Jones and Mr Brown for the Operative Bootmakers' Union; Mr Trcvena and Mr Downes for the harness manufacturers; and Mr Breen and Mr Jones for the Ota go Trades and Labour Council. In reply, the Hon. Mr Allen said he would represent to the Minister of Customs the views that had been placed before him. The matter was one for the consideration of Cabinet, and when a decision was arrived at he would communicate it to Mr Sidey. Every endeavour would certainly bo made by the Government to keep the leather industry alive.