LEATHER GOODS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3853, 17 January 1928, Page 36

LEATHER GOODS.

ANTICIPATED ADVANCE IN PRICE

AUCKLAND, January 10. Boots and shoes ; are predicted to advance in price in the near future. An early advance is expected in the price >f all leather goods. There is a world's shortage of hides, and the market has been steadily advancing for the last nine months.

In March last the best grades of co.v hides were selling at Auckland sales at 7d per lb. At this afternoon’s sale the market registered a further advance on the closing rates of 1927, and cow hides made up to 14£d. The movement is not a local one, out is the result of a world shortage, and values are regulated by a strong demand from America and the Continent of Europe. The market for ox hides has advanced from 30 to 40 per cent, over a period, while calf skin values have also moved np.

Apart from the fact that there is reported to be a world shortage in hides, conditions in the overseas leather trade, especially among many of the bigger boot and shoe manufacturing firms, have improved during the past year, and there is a healthier demand for most classes of leather goods. Cow hides, which can be worked up into many of the finer fancy leathers, are subjected to an especially heavy demand, and to this can be ac counted the comparatively greater increase. Leading men in the trade, interviewed in Auckland this morning, predicted that the increase in hides would cause the retail prices to advance within the next few weeks