HIDES AND BOOTS

Otago Witness, Issue 3443, 9 March 1920, Page 28

HIDES AND BOOTS

The following appeared in our 'Second Edition last week: —

IMPORTANT MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. WHAT AUSTRALIA DID. (From Our Cwn Correspondent.) WELLINGTON* March 2. A-very interesting statement was made to your correspondent this afternoon regarding the hides question. The U J«/^A* .ing the export, of hides to Australia and their return to New Zealand m the shape of boots and shoes, are particular y illuminating. The phenomenal nmw> *n recent years in the numbers of booto shoes and also in the value the imports make one wonder it our inbw ~ „ Y 4- ra . manufacturers are awake. It seems extra ordinary that Australia could get our hides in such quantity, tan them make them into boots, and, in spite of the duty, send nearly £300,000 worth back for sale m New Zealand. Yet this apparently was what occurred last year MrMassey s- statement is as follows:-" The hide question is re ceiving close attention at the present time .in view of. the high prices reaUsed at the two sales which have taken place since the new regulations were gazetted. ine afmand for hidea is undoubtedly a strong one and this is doubtless in some measure due to the fact tbat no hide sales have been held in the dominion since the middle ot December. The exchange situation witti America is oLjo an important iactor. i™ cessation of sales may be looked upon a* a practical protest on the part of holders and their agents, against the then existing embargo, it being believed by them that the general public were not getting the lull measure of benefit from the restrictions. As a result a condition of affairs was rapidly approaching under which tanners would have run out of hide supplies altogether, and prompt and effective action had to tw taken, especially as suggestions that leather - ' prices would be increased were already being made. Now, as to the statement that hides to >tho value of £1,000,000 sterling were being hoarded, this is entirely mcorrect. I have particulars of hides held by all freezing companies at the end of January, and "this makes it clear that the exaggerated statements made as to hoarding are not justified by foots. It is certainly evident that some companies have been holding on to their hides for some time past, but this is by no means an uncommon practice under free trading conditions, and,- as the hides are their own or their clients, they canmot be compelled to sell tailess they wish to do so. "Of the 28 companies only six can be looked upon as being anything like large holders, and the largest of these holders had on hand hides to the value of approximately £44,006, calculated on a high estimate, based on the standard of values,, created at last week's sales. Assertions have also been made that a dealer held very-large quantities of hides, but I have good reason to believe that this is incorrect, and in any case I am promised the exact figures to-morrow. in January exact information had been obtained as to the quantity of hides held by each freezing company, and the figures then secured, which I accept as correct, did not disclose anything whioh could be condemned as improper hoarding, and it must be remembered that since then slaughtering has been 'heavy. Statements have also been niade as to large holdings of hides and leather held by tanners, but I am assured that this is entirely incorrect. The whole fact of the matter is that many sellers of hides were so gravelv dissatisfied with the •state of affairs that they adopted the course of ceasing to sell, knowing that they could not be forced to so without legislation being enacted. The reasons for this dissatisfaction are already well known, and the' matter was very seriously considered before action was taken by the Government. There are features in this which were brought, up to me in Auckland—namely, the export jot New Zealand hides to Australia, and the import of Australian-made boots into New 2lealand. The extent to which this has been golncr in during recent years - is shown by th*> following official figures:— Exports of New Zealand hides and calfskins to Australia:— *~

A further table gives in detail the figure s regarding the import of leather from Aus- ■ fralia, to New Zealand. The value in 1918 s/ras £127,300, and in 1919, £111,983. Leather ;o the extent of 496,7491 b weight was exerted from New Zealand to various other .Countries, _ but the bulk of this, it is stated, Was unsuitable to the New Zealand trade. U A S regards the present position," added she Prime Minister, "the high values which .have been reached at auction sales certainly •demand consideration, but at the same time Ohere can be no doubt but that producers laid those interests allied with them had \ reason for their serious dissatisfaction, and ihat an effective remedy was necessary for \ho interests of the general public as well vis the true interests of our manufacturing industries, and of the workers engaged in %hem, cannot at the same time be overlooked, and the whole matter, in its broadest sspect, is receiving close consideration." JTinaQy, Mr Massev made the following important announcement :t—"lnformation has ieaohedi ais> #mA twpexa foavo, already no£i-

fied a big inci-ease in the price of leather. Seeing that leather now on the market must bo derived from hides purchased at controlled prices under the embargo, this is a matter demanding attention, and I am having it, gone into at once. It is obvious that leather manufactured from hides purchased at last week's higher values cannot be ready for the market for a considerable /time to come, and this matter must be cleared up.

RECORD PRICES IN TARANAKI. NEW PLYMOUTH. March 2. New records m hide price 9 were established at the first sale under the new conditions, held to-day. There were a large number of buyers, and bidding was very spirited. Good ox brought 23 7-8 d per lb, which exceeds the high "prices reached at Auckland and Wellington sales recently. Other prices were: —Cow hide 23d, and sound oalf from 46 7-8 d to 48 5-Bd. A hide sale was also held a,t Stratford to-dav, when high prices were recorded. Calfskins brought 49d, as against 48 5-8 d at New Plymouth.

Tear/ .nicies v exported. .Value. 1914 ... 70,068 £107,507 1915 49.492 90.560 1916 ... 150.408 308.796 1917 '.'. 5.972 8,893 1918 ... 63.695 125.335 1919 ... ... 115,791 Calfskins 288,976 Year. exported. Value. 1914 ... 37.032 £10,096 1915 ... ... 42.618 11.426 lSlfi ... ... 77,707 23,047 1917 ... 21.232 6.073 1918 ... S7,'392 31,117 1919 ... 41,623 22,081 The following table shows the imports of boots cad shoes from Australia into New Zealand: — MEN'S AND WOMEN'S BOOTS AND SHOES. Declared 'fear. No. of pairs Value. 1914 -... ... ... 2.400 £1.083 1915 9.756 5.302 1916 ... „ ... 29,880 19,081 1917 ... . 86,784 57,853 1918 ... ... 291,696 182,977 1919 ... 395,148 269,946 CHILDBEN'S BOOTS AND SHOES. Declared fear. No. of pairs VaJn*. mu 24 £3 1915 1 1916 ... 7,728 1.529 1917 ... ... 23,052 4,826 1918 ... ... 78,348 15,160 1919 .., 110,172 24,512