HIGES AND LEATHER.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 2499, 14 June 1920, Page 3

HIGES AND LEATHER.

THE AUSTRALIAN MAR KET

The price of hides and leather was referred to at Auckland recently by Mr W. J. Holds worth, who returned from Sydney on Monday. He said the position of the market in Sydney and Melbourne had altered considerably owing to the overseas trade ceasing. Australian tanners and boot manufacturers had found markets in Britain, South Africa, India, and the Islands, but owing to a heavy drop in the price of leather in Britain this trade had practically ceased. The position at present was very hal'd to gauge. While prices would certainly drop it was not anticipated that they would reach pre-war standard. Glace kid, raw material from India, had dropped from 230 shillings per dozen to 130 shillings. The rate of exehange be|ing against Australia had something to do with this fall in prices, because manufacturer* ceased buying at high prices, being content to subsbfcitute other leathers. There was an easing tendency in sol<> leather, box hides, wil'ow hides, ! and calfskins, but sheepskins were ' I firm. Those in the trade who were in • I the best, position to judge did not an- ! tkipate a heavy drop at once, but ; believed that the fall would bo a j .•gradual pmeciss. The drought had • caused a shortage of good hides in Australia, but the general trend of the market would cause nr easing 1 tendency in the prices of boots in, ( the immediate future. Experts were of the opinion that the new standard of prices for (footwear would he- between pre-war rates and the recent inflated prices. Large business firms in Ausfra :a were of the op.”lion that the recent fall in some commodities was due to the banks ceasing to advance money f .v the ] uio >sc of s|hculal ion in raw ma'.erials. 'I'll: p they contended, would have tin effect of putting trade on a sounder too -eg. Notwithstanding tile difficulty experienced in procuring budding material and skilled labour a tremendous expansion in trade was noticeable on id sides. Ahmet cveiw bus- j inees man engaged >-n the leather , trade was doubling the capacity of his premiess. The\ were confident . they had a splendid future before them consistent with sound legislation .