STANDARD BOOTS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 17755, 2 January 1920, Page 5

STANDARD BOOTS.

SUPPLIES AVAILABLE IN BRITAIN An intimation has been sent out to the boot manufacturers of the United Kingdom that they can now proceed with the production of standard boots under the scheme prepared by the Federated Associations of Boot and Shoe Manufacturers of Great Britain and Ireland. A brief account of this scheme given in the Westminster Gazette recently. But, although the manufacturers have been informed that they might proceed with the production of these new standard boots, it is unlikely that any of them will be available to the public for six weeks at least, and that supplies in bulk will not be ready before January. “The scheme,” said a leading member of the trade, “is the successor of the war-time boot scheme, which, although it offered advantages to the producers, the distributors, and the public, not quite a success. The Manufacturers Federation think that it would be, desirable to maintain for a longer period than was intended a scheme of the samesort. The object of this national scheme (which is quite voluntary on the part the, manufacturers) are two-fold—first, to maintain a higher grade of quality iri ’ the production of boots than was done; before the war, and second, to try to ' regulate the prices of the article from the producer of the leathers to the consumer. so that at none of the stages in the producion of the boor will there be any necessity for excessive or undesirable profits. It has been objected that the scheme will eliminate competition, but that is a more effect:"e factor today than before the war, and it is important in the, national ii terest that competition should be felt in the quality of the goods rather than in the price.” It is admitted that the scheme may bo only temporary but it is hopqd that it may prove an avenue towards a permanent scheme when normal conditions are resumed.