INDUSTRIES' WEEK.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13159, 4 July 1908, Page 6

INDUSTRIES' WEEK.

BEVIEVV OF THE ENTERPRISE

A PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT.

Mr F. E. Jones, President of the Canterbury Industrial Association, devoted a large portion of his quarterly report, presented at the meeting of the Association last night, to a review of tho Industries Week enterprise recently carried out by tho Association. Mr Jones said that at the last annual meeting the suggestion to hold a wtek'c display of Dominion-made goods in the shop windows was favourably received by the incoming committee, who set tc

work with vigour to bring about a euccessful inauguration of what had been judged to be a far-reaching and effecirre movement. On the committee's suggestion the proposal was at once taken up with enthusiasm by the kindred Associations in Wellington and Auckland, with the result that in Wellington a very great public interest had been awakened, ho believed, in local industries to the benefit of every member of the community. In Auckland concentrated action would be taken in connection with the visit of the American Armada, which would be an opportune time for such a movement. Prom the first manufacturers here saw in the movement an inexpensive and efI fective means of bringing their wares j prominently before the public, and grasped the opportunity with vigorous enthusiasm. The displays in the drapers' shop windows, as well as the large co-operative stores, of our woollen products were an eye-opener to the public, impressing upon them the great •strides that had been made in this particular industry. Farmers saw the produce of their farms adorning the windows in the shape of fancy and serviceable tweeds, and the despised straw in the shape of straw hats. The display of Roslyn. Kniapoi an Petone blankets was equal to anything produced in th© world. The displays of hosiery and underclothing were excellent, and in that line there was grr-at scope for our loyalty to our principles, inasmuch ns there was still quantities of hosiery imported which he knew to be much inferior in wearing quality to the genera} average of local made goods. A cnrefnl inspection was made of the exhibits by several members of the committee during the wook. The committee were sorry that their visits of inspection had to be made in the evening, when the streets were crowded, thus making it difficult to spr everything that wns shown. In the course of their visits shopkeepers informed the members that many of the public refused to take anything colo-nial-made; such Rhort-signt<»dnpfis nm l ridiculous prejndice from anvono resident in the colony was inconceivable. In whatever way a living wa#= being earned, dependence on local industries was obvious. Farmers found thai that the local demand for wool influenced the price of the enrlv sales last year and gave them a much higher price than others obtained who consigned to London. Mnny were the products of the farms which formed the raw material for goods now being imported, which could quite as well be made in New Zealand. The public oftpn were thonghtltvs and indifferent in demand ing colonial-made goods, but it waF more often tho case that assistant"? wero the most prejudiced clies of the community. In the case of woollens, which were generally hierher in price on account of their purity, the employer was not anxious that special attention should bo given to the pale of goods, bnt in other directions, whore th«. local manufacturers could successfully market the goods at lower prices, the vorv chearmo** w; , * often miseons t.rn"d into want of quality.

Mr Boaven said that the Industrie Weok displays would grow in importance »nd extent year by year.

Mr fleott said the Afwtoeintions wor* dwnlv indebted to the Pwident for catwbl» manner in which he hartal?' the Indrtstriffl week onterp-ri*©. That the difmliys had hnd an excellent effef't in je+imnlating local industry was tmdo"bt«a. " „ __ _ On the motion of Mr Coooor. n hoartv vote of thnnVs wns accorded th«* committee of fonr who had worked up the Industries Week.