CHRISTMAS GIFTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 206, 31 August 1936, Page 5

CHRISTMAS GIFTS.

JAM FOR ENGLAND.

"MILLIONS CLUB" SCHEME,

ADVERTISING AUSTRALIA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, August 22. In 1033 our "Millions Club," which is occupied chiefly with efforts to promote the expansion and development of the industries and resources of New South Wales, initiated a scheme for sending to friends of Australians in Britain consignments of jam as Christmas gifts. The scheme was a great success, as the gifts were highly appreciated by the recipients, the export of our jams has in the intervening years materially increased, and the Commonwealth has secured a valuable advertisement for one of its most attractive products.

This year the Millions Club has been encouraged to repeat the experiment and the preparations are now in progress. The arrangement is that for a £1 order —which can be collected through the Commonwealth Bank branches in other States —the secretary of the Millions Club undertakes to forward Home to any given address in the United Kingdom a case containing two dozen tins of assorted jams "of varieties not common in England." A 10/ order will secure the dispatch of a half-case containing one dozen tins and all the gifts will be forwarded in time to reach the United Kingdom by Christmas.

* As a result of the success of the 1933 experiment, the Millions Club has been inundated with inquiries and suggestions. Its secretary, Mr. Roy Bennett, reports that the popularity of the scheme seems to be growing steadily, many orders having been already received from all parts of Australia. Correspondents have asked about facilities for sending jam to New Zealand, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland and the United States; but the Millions-Club,

partly for financial and partly for patriotic reasons, has felt compelled to restrict the scheme to the United Kingdom. It should be mentioned that the only reason that the Irish Free State is not included in the scheme is that the rigid tariff restrictions enforced there would prevent delivery. Christmas Hampers. Again, suggestions have been made to Mr. Bennett that it might be possible to send other Australian products abroad under the scheme. Nothing, however, would be gained by diverting this project from its original purpose or extending it on too large a scale. Mr. Bennett has pointed out that many private firms in our cities provide facilities for the dispatch of "goodwill Christmas hampers," containing not only jams but also preserved fruits, tinned meats, j honey and wines—and there is no reason I for duplicating these services. i

I Within the past month this gift jam project has secured some extremely valuable publicity in Australia. The Federal Minister of the Interior, Mr. Paterson, has written to Mr. Bennett expressing high appreciation of his efforts to popularise Australia's products, and commending the scheme as one of national importance. Mr. Thorley, Federal Minister of Commerce, Mr. Mule, Minister of Trades and Customs, and Sir Henry Gullett, Minister in charge of Trade Treaties, have all written in the same strain. The Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Mr. Butler, Premier of South Australia, and Mr. Ogilvie, Premier of Tasmania, have expressed at length their conviction that these Christmas gifts will provide a splendid advertisement for Australia at 'Home, and will assist very materially the expansion of our export trade. Finally, Sir Arclidale Parkhill, Federal Minister of Defence, has addressed a long communication to Mr. Bennett, congratulating the Millions Club on its public spirit, assuring it of the sympathy and appreciation of the Federal authorities, and emphasising the importance of the fact that the guarantee of the Millions Club would ensure that the consignment would be of the highest possible standard and would thus help to enhance our commercial and industrial reputation at Home. The gift jam scheme has thus been revived by the Millions Club under the most favourable auspices, and the , \rhola of Australia wishes it success.