QUALITY OF FOOTWEAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1925, Page 9

QUALITY OF FOOTWEAR.

MATERIALS NOT SPECIFIED, FIRMS BROUGHT TO COURT, PROTECTING THE PUBLIC. By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. Five firms were charged at the Police Court to-day with having in their possession shoes, the soles and heels of which consisted partly of leather without a statement of the materials comprising same upon or impressed into such article. Pleas of guilty were entered in most cases, the explanation being that the goods were purchased from an agent, and that it was very difficult to detect the defect. Evidence was given by one of the defendants respecting the identity of “all leather” and “compo” footwear. Defendant stated that he had thirty-two years* experience and he held that there was no infallible test as to whether the stiffener of a shoe was of leather or of good “compo,” but good “compo” was always better than inferior leather. Women disliked all leather heels, which they condemned as being “heavy as lead.” Jn easily nine-tenths of the fine footwear made to-day the heels were of “compo.” The magistrate treated, the cases as test ones, and remarking that the public must be protected in accordance with thp terms of the Act, he inflicted small penalties in several instances.