The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1913. BOOTS AND SHOES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 22, 30 May 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1913. BOOTS AND SHOES.

Discussing the boot and shoe industry of New Zealand a correspondent" of "Shipping and Commerce" strongly urges that it should, like many other secondary industries injJie Dominion, receive the support and encouragement such industries obtain in certain other countries. This writer points out that there are some ten thousand people directly and indirectly dependent upon the boot and shoe industry in New Zealand, which number might be doubled. Regarding the patriotism of the public, and that individuals should help one another by creating a demand for their own manufactures, experience indicates that this sort of patriotism is only brought into being by compulsion and, the correspondent referred to holds that compulsion can only be brought about by shutting out the dear shoddy article, and that the Government should substantially increase the import duty on all footwear. Obviously self-interest, which is deprecated in others, we are afraid underlies this. argument to a certain extent, and most people who have to buy boots and shoes, will want to know some more about it before endorsing this view. Certainly shut out the "shoddy" article by all means, but wie do not want to put up barriers which will practically place boots and shoes quite out of reach of the ordinary wage-earner.