INDUSTRIAL FAIR.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 69, 23 March 1927, Page 9

INDUSTRIAL FAIR.

- 'DISPLAY AT CIVIC SQUARE. PRODUCTS Or DOIOSIOK FACTORIES. MAYOR URGES SUPPORT. The Industrial Fair that has been organised by the New Zealand-made Preference League, on the Civic Square was opened at 12.30 p.m. to-dav bv the' Mayor (Mr. George Baildon). "Addressing a gathering of citizens •within the space enclosed by the tents the Mayor urged greater support for New Zealand | products and congratulated the league i upon the success that had attended its ! effort.-. "There can be only one object in ; organising a fair of "this nature." said the Mayor, "and that is to demonstrate | what ran be done within the Dominion to manufacture goods from home-grown I materials." I The purpose of the league was to 1 demonstrate and support the local product as against the imported article. A certain amount of the wool produced in the Dominion was absorbed bv the woollen mills in the country, and the mjrs and other products that were manufactured could bear comparison I with similar products anywhere else in the world. The millowners claimed that

their output was New Zealand-made in every detail, except for the dye. Relief of Unemployment. As an opportunity for employing more workers every new factory, said Mr. Baildon. would provide relief for unemployment. If the people would make up their minds to buy local products in greater quantities much could be done in that direction. Anything that had the brand of a New Zealand factory upon it, and was up to quality, deserved to be supported. "Start purchasing New Zealand goods now.'' concluded the Mayor. "The winter is coming on. and. if you assist the shops in clearing their stocks, you will enable the factories to work at full capacity." Expressions of good will were also con-

tained in messages from a number of J Cabinet Ministers, who telegraphed apologies for their absence from the oflicial opening. The messages, which were j i read by Mr. C. A. Whitney (vice-presi- | dent of the League) were as follow:— ' j "While much appreciating the invita- ) I tion contained in your telegram to be i present at the official opening of the j J Industrial Fair of New Zealand-made I Goods, at Auckland, I regret that engage- ' I ments in Wellington will not permit of ' my being able to attend. I send my ! best wishes for a successful fair.— (Signed i W. Dowm'e .Stewart. Minister of Finance." i Cordial Support for League "I regret that it is not possible for me to accept your invitation to take part in the official opening of the Industrial Fair of New Zealand-made Goods, to be held at Auckland. As the Minister of Industries and Commerce, and as a New Zealander born. I most cordiallv support the movement that your League has inaugurated. During a recent inspection of a number of factories, it was a matter of surprise and regret to me to I find that in some cases articles of hijrh quality and excellent finish were being sent out to retailers without any indica- I tion that they were manufactured locallv , aEd on making inquiries as to the reason for such an omission I was informed in every case that it was a condition insisted upon by some of the distributors. It would appear, therefore, that an unwarranted prejudice exists against some lines of New Zealand-made gorxis. and if your League ran assist in killing =uch prejudice, and imbuing people with a ' «ense of desirability of locally support- . ire their own industries, it "will, from j the point of view of the Dominion's prosperity, have served a hiehlv useful purpose.—(Signedl A. D. McLewi. Minister of Industries and Commerce."' Apologies were aL--> received from the Hon. R. F Bollard. Minister of Internal Affairs, and the Hon. J. A. Young- Min- i isrer of H-aith. ' The Fair will be continued until Friday mgh\ and immediatelr after its rlo<e the League proposes to" initiate'a ' h:z camrairm that win be extended so U th- ! wards throughout the Do m ; n i OTI in tunneranre or :ts objectives. ,