BRITISH GOODS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 141, 17 June 1930, Page 6

BRITISH GOODS.

"Give British goods a fair trial and I guarantee you will be more than satisfied," • said Mr. L. A. Paish, the British Trade Commissioner for New Zealand, at a meeting held recently in Auckland. It is unfortunate that advice such as this should be necessary in a country of Britisli-born subjects, yet it certainly is so with the policy of trading in New Zealand to-day. Making a tour of some of the large retail establishments a few days ago I was amazed at the quantity of foreign-made goods displayed and realised how necessary the commissioner's remarks were. I found silks and cottons from Japan, woollens, gloves and hosiery from Germany, dress goods and hardware from America,, hats and piece goods from Italy, imitation jewellery and dress goods from Czecho-Slovakia, but the climax came when I examined a thermos flask marked "English patent" with a small label stuck on the bottom bearing the words "Made in' Germany." -It may be argued that we have a right to trade in the cheapest market, which is perfectlycorrect, but. it is a right which is not always i wise to exercise,, for the cheapest article is not always the best. "Why, then, is there so ! much foreign produce on the market of a country which gives perference in tariffs to British goods? The answer is, in my opinion, because it is in all cases more cheaply produced and in most instances cheaper in quality and cheaper in price than a similar article * made within the Empire. The reasons are that in all the countries mentioned, except America, whose trading conditions are without comparison, the standard of living is lower, the working hours longer, and wages lower than anywhere within the British Empire. If foreign goods are bought we can at least see that they are only those which cannot be produced by our own people, otherwise we unnecessarily patronise sweated labour. ' C.H.W.