MADE IN NEW ZEALAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 68, 20 March 1915, Page 8

MADE IN NEW ZEALAND.

ABE COIOHIAM PREJUDICED ? SHOPKEEPERS.SAY "NO." READY SALE FOR DOMINION GOODS. Addressing a meeting of buanoee men in Auckland with the object of e-ecuring-support for the Canterbury Industrial Arsociitkm'o suggestion 'that a Board, of Trade shall be established in New Zealand, Mr. J. A. Frostick, a Christchurch boot manufacturer, declared that prejudice exists on the part of ctfloniate agaiiiist .'oda made in the Dominion, and tint there is a. tendency to prefer English and American goods. Instancing tlie caee of the 'boot tamde, Mr. Frastiek etatad tiat there wot hundreds of New Zeallandeiis walking aboat ia Dominionmade f catwear under the food: impression that they were wearing goods of English manufacture. Inquiries made by a "Star" representative went to "how that if eueh prejudice exists in Auckland, it ie. bo limited ae. to ■nowadays be almost negligible. "At one time," said a leading boot and isboe retailer, "the prejudice against New Zea-l-and-mada goods was very nuirked. Only two or three yeais ago. the bulk of. our goods 'mere imported; from England and America. And there was good for it. The manufactures oftheDoniinion were contented to turn out ' rough, elip-eh'od work which had colonial stamped all over it. . The material" woe all right, and would wear w«H, but the finish w>ll3 It was only to he expected that city people .would not '■ook at the goods when eucb high grade footwear was being imported from: Home. Since then there 'lias been a revolution in boot manufacture in New. Zea.ia.nd. Minufi-cturere have realised that if they are to successfully compete with the imported ■article they have got to ;keep abreast 'of the times in , .the matter of desigh and finish, and have commenced'to manufacture goods of the best grade and latest style. . ' NO NEED TO MISLEAD. ' "There is no. comparison with New Zealand footwear of to-day, and that of a few years ago.- Except for the extremely light grades of footwear,.which have not yet been manufactured here <to any extent, the New-Zealand>article » as good as the imported one, and the public 'have already recognised it.. It is absurd to suggest that Tet liters have to mislead oustomem on account of the , prejudice that exists. There may he isolatedcisee of extremely finnicky cuetomere •where' some retaifcrs have not definitely pointed out that the good's are made in the Dominion, but, taking the public ac a whole, shopkeepers have not the slightest beei-. tation in pushing the New Zealand boot. In our own caise, for instance, t»ro-thirds of out goods ara New Zealand made, and ■tihe Dominion boots are'giving complete i jitiisf action. In any cage deception would 'be futile. People who have been accustomed to-any particular- brand -of English 'or American footwear, and' ask for 'high grade footwear of this, description because, of exceptional elegance of design 'and' finish tare too well acquainted with the leading firms to 'be taken in. To tlrose who -want - ordinary, boots-and oboes of medium price, we have no: bm-j' tation ; in reccanmiending New Zealand goode.' It is not tck our:-inter este ■to push imported- goods or encourage ■ the demand for them,' for purchasing .from other countries means buying in large quantities and allowing our money to be idle for the long period, required- for obtaining the gcrode. New Zealand goods oan hold 'iiheir own with tbcee of; other countries as long ac manufacturers pay attention to finish and manufacture on-up-to-datei Jines." ' . „ . r ...... j THE SUM GOLONIAIi. ' A similar opinion was expressed, by. ihc manager of the dotting department of one of the' leading" outfitters of the cityTie, prejudice in favoiir- T df Engiiai and i American oloth-ce, he said, was confined to a very small, section of the purchasing public, namely, the smartly-dressed yoiing ; man about town, who wanted "to "be in the height of fashion in shade' and cut, and thought the only way was by purchasing American or "English, clothes. As a matter of fact, by;far the greatest trade was now done in *he ready-made suit, at»d here the.advantage, lay with the colonial manufacturers, for there was much (similarity in the build of colonials. Aβ a general'rule,Vbetter fit could 'be obtained by purohaßing a New Zealandmade suit, thin by-buying-the" English made-up suit. Of course, a gjeat many of. the suite- made up in 'New-Zealand were'from imported clothe, but .New Zealand cloths, although . mere expensive, could hold.their own on "account "of {Heir greater-durability. Theye-was absolutely no need to mfetead the public •- or •for 'hesitation on the", part-of'the shopkeeper in pushing New Zealand goods. : ' , j Taking the case of"hats,. 1 tie "Star" .was informed that in this case "• it wae' I perfectly true that the public did not inquire for New Zealand goode. : Very few were made here, andO the difference in finish between the colonel goods and tlhe' Radian and Englieh tot 'wae'ao marked that the trade, wee bound to' be mainly nrthe imparted article. ;