THE BOOT TRADE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1624, 29 April 1919, Page 7 (Supplement)

THE BOOT TRADE.

POSITION IN DOMINION. Prttt AuoctaUon. HASTINGS, April 29. Giving evidence before the Industries Committee, Mr Burfield, a local boot manufacturer, who had for 10 years been manager of a boot factory iu England, said that it was a waste of time trying to standardise boots, owing to the change of fashions and fancies. I The day of cheap English boots had [gone forever. The only way to reduce ihe price of footwear in New Zealand was to keep hides in the country. Export resulted in England and America picking the best of the leather, and reexporting the "wasters" to the colonies at high prices. Hides should not be shipped, but large tanneries should be established close fo New Zealand freezing works. The Government should assist in research, and works should be equipped with the best machinery. The fanner would then get a better price, and the manufacturer would get his supplies at first-hand. Prices would have to be fixed so as to give a reasonable profit on capital invested after allowing for the cost of production. The industry would find considerable employment for returned soldiers, besides filling New Zealand's requirements for leather, and possibly making the Dominion an. eiporting country. New Zealand could produce the best leather in the world, because it had the best hides. The durability of New Zealandmade boots and shoes was far ahead of those made in Australia, and, given good sole leather such as could be produced in our own tanneries, our manufacturers would produce as good boots as were obtainable in any part of the world. Even now boots made in Auckland were second to none, and working condition! in the factory there were ideal. The employees were not treated as wage slaves.