"THE BOOT MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY."

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 88, 20 May 1914, Page 6

"THE BOOT MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY."

To the Editor of THE SUN. v Sir, to letter of the 19tli v inst., -sigiied by;;the secretary of "The Indilfitrial . Eoiuaid S; Badger, against -'custom,, has replied to " Anonymous." I did

not expect a reply f romany source, : ks --,.- the facts "stated in my letter of the 11th inst. are known to the trade generally. Mr Badger doe 9 not refute them. "He" simply] "advertises L the* - in-'. ( dustry, in the people's name, and' casts opprobrium upon myself.. He calls lijpon - the' people" of New-Zealand' to support'■ their .own couiitry/ where 1 intermittent employment need" not obtain. He' .assumes that the people of New -Zealand ; realise the value of local industries—(it . is a wonder he.-did not state their industrics) —but furnishes no proof in regard to boots, whiehis the subject.- He asks md' to meet his committee. " What useless effort. with such natures as Mr Badger's. He thinks.l am. "the Saviour of .the boot trade.'.Evidently he expects one jand we can only expect in proportion to our -need. ■►He fails ; to. see. one ift me, and : thinks my credentials "allegedi" This is "historyrepeating - itself,so- far as r Mr-Bad-ger's attitude 7 is coneerjied/ l wishi to state to th 6 authorities t thgt rule the boot industry that "I am not He that /should- cpme, ,; i but as simply '? preparing the. way,,'' and that I r am; prfepared,' ■; under proper conditions, to Remonstrate the'following:—" . ' , „ " (1) That New Zealand .has made very • « - littlte' - progression, regard to - - ■boots —within '-4h'e7 last 1 - twelve years, compared with other "coun--2 and - then- only, at an enor- _ mous cost to the- people.' - (2)" That the manufacturers generally i are fossilised. (3) That they- do< not the best • methods,'t>r the'tkest-men to man.- - ' " - age th'eiiv seyerar^epartments. (4) That "Australia) - with- higßer_- . " ; "" 'Wages and' a- double-'duiy of froia; - - 60 to 70 per cent; on raw- ma*.- , ♦ .can-land:;boots ■ia--Newr l . ' Zealand cheaper and'better than -v > the loeai .production. I - ! - - •' \ I ain further • prepared to prove, .ansr~ • other.,stktement -ma^-under conditions rolrp a per'soiiafinterview, or from 'the' Editor." s cbifclulsioh/to call' Upoji-'a countvy t'o^ *' - industry* r ' that exacts a" 'disproportionate • share of < our earnings- tq maintain it - is, weak.-. reasoning and-shallow, sentiment. ' .■{«»• - '' Support the jojol' Is &S37 belittling to the jyorkeij, - who' doe's not receive the equivalent "for his toil: It 4s a-'good advertise- ; iUieiit for- i whom God --Mammon bestowed his - blessing, and "whom endowed* with cunning and craft at>ove his"fellows: With' this, I leave- the matter for the present.—£,> am, etc., •/- . W.H.W.* -•,