EMPIRE SHOPPING WEEK.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17809, 7 July 1923, Page 6

EMPIRE SHOPPING WEEK.

$ I HOW NEW ZEALAND PRO- j DUCE IS MARKETED. NEED FOR PROPAGANDA. LONDON. Empire Sioritsins W?ek has ecrte to ! zzv.-r tTt. a: a director cf oca cf the j ttcres last- wee.t, we { cC'Sen titr.as a ?~z.z. ck ajay a.?k. why j r.tt ail the- ysar round A year ac-> | ""'-- Wcrti-it's ~Pz.~~'~^ ~Lp2.-".t* \ t):"i-..:ps-:ns ~ij seen last; ~hen ; .;'_';. ; i;: 'j-.tTtl';C but h. r :K tiiu.ch the movement has j cu'" ■:.;■■ tLe tone or the news- j • L :ar.<;ri. l.ait tee T>r:n.tioie was .jni;. co - r :.-.'l b-:-.:-r. exten-ied to tee province as j '"■-»_■ Not only have the great Loudon j ':.-;.iiif-3 a generous artiount cf j v- -to to iar-ouncjacenti and descrip- j tions, but tii-a provincial oapers have j 'loo*, x.-j ?.., r?_.. trucks have I wr.tten cc the jub.ect, and the I .;h'sps ha.-e taiien up the matter with a j <>•!■;ain amo.int of enthusiasm. Thera is j ruom for imjroveraer.t, however, and ■' foresees tr.e time when no shoo will j *e qtiito ros-;cctE.h:- if it cannot an- t r.ounce ;a large letters thai all goods j art- obtained front within the Empire. ! There u another factor which has I about a more re- | spor.se to the movement. The Aus- . tvaiian authorities and the South Airi."ac authorities have awakened to tne .act that they must advertise and talk •ind spend money. Australians especialy art making thenuelves and their prcdiice known by lavish propaganda, fhey have had their trade missions in tnl; country, and they have realised that they mast set their house in order in the matter of preparing their tinned fruit and their meat, and then they must spend money in spreading the knowledge of their wares. New Zeahind producers have hitherto relied on the quality of their produce for the . extension of treir markets. With growing competition, however, the question arises whether it will not b& necessarv to spend money generously on propaganda. One cannot help feeling that though -for a time New Zealand will reap some benefit from the efforts of the other Dominions, parsimoay in advertising will in the end leave her grea.t!y handicapped. Nothing could be more encouraeing than the display of New Zeajand lamo at the Universal Stores in London. These organisations cannot afford to decl in any inferior lamb. Thev cater for an intelligent public, who will have none other. But after all the four or live big stores dispose only of some 1500 carcases a week between them. If these stores are in the position that they dare not give their clients other than Canterbury lamb for most of the year, and sell it as such, there- seems no rer.son why the other retailers should not in time be forced, by the demands of the public, to io the same. As it is, the large majority of consumers do not know the difference between New Zealand, Australian, and Argentine lamb, and the retailers ar<s not eager to enlighten them. It is only by propaganda that the public can be educated. And here it may be stated that Australians are doing their best to eliminate any distinction there may be in the minds of the public between Australian meat and dairy produce and New Zealand meat and dairy produce—not, of course, in any other way than by continually advertising the excellence of their own produce and ignoring the existence of New Zealand.

Thfl New Zsaland Wisdom. It is perhaps this commendable enterpise on the part of Australia that one had demonstrated on going tfce rounds of the big stores during Empire Week. It was evident that the people from Auatralia House had been very closely in league with the maaagera of Harrods, Barkers, Seifridges. and the Army and Navy Stores. All these firms had been plentifully supplied with trophies typically Australian to give effect to the windows displaying Auetralian produce. Stuffed emus and kangaroos seemed particularly plentiful. New Zeaiand had a special window to itself at Harrods but nowhere else. Australia had very largo window displays at all the -stores and three at Barkers. The Dominion window-space at Harrods was restricted, but, the display mads was comprehensive and attractive, and was arranged with the taste that claimed the immediate attention of evervono about to enter. There was as its "central feature a frozen lamb of primo quality and condition, dressed with 'parsley; several whole cheeses, two bosea of butter, a good show of apples, hor.ey (N.Z.H.P.A. brand), tinned masts and jams, bottled specimens of gram, while sheaves of grain came in usefully for decorative effect, and there wero 2. few scenic pictures as well.

African Produce. From the Brampton road window at these vast stores one learned that British territory in Africa can supply many kinds of tinned fruit and jam, fresh oranges and pears. Veldt burgundy at 42s a dozen bottles, Schcongezedkt Hermitage at 54s per dozen. Natal can produce tea at '2s 8d a lb Kenya Colony its coffee, end British Centra! Africa its brand c-f tobaeoo and cigarettes. In all the Australian exhibits a special feature was made of the dned fruit, and especlallv of raisins and currants. The manager of one of the departments expressed his delight with these. Here, he said, we have real sun-dried fruit and the price' is rea.sor.able, whereaa the raisin-? and rirrant= from the Mediterranean are subjected to certain treatments and artificial heat. With the Canadian wares one is 1e33 familiar. For instance, it may not be generally known that thi3 Dominion produces macaroni and sweet chocolate. Montreal apnks in gallon tins cost 2s, or six tins for lis i?d; maple suzcr costs 3s 2d per bottle, br 2s 8d a lb in blocks; rolled oats 71b for Is Bd, and flour 2s M a stone, whereas sweet corn, so much grown by the Maoris, is 9d a tin. Canada, in addition, is making a special feature of her hr-in.q and siuea, which are sold at Is 4d a lb.

C'Ant«rbtß7 Lamb. Ihe f;ight inside Harrode' produce department would have gladdened the heart of any representative of the Do minions. Ilerft were case* of New Zealand buttor plainly marked as such, and cfjstnifr In (VI per lb, piles cf tin.-, of New Zealand sheep tongues, r>oii*id rabbits and ox tongues, great cheeses also plainly marked as New Zealand. Australian. tinned and dried goods were everywhere along with Indian ehutnsys and pickles, but still on a top shelf one saw Danish, butter. Imperial Be© Honey was not immediately risible, but an enquiry led to a dozen bottles being displayed on the forefront of ths ; principal counter. In the meat and fish store was a very striking display of Canadian salmon" straight from the cold store, but what 'was particularly pleasing ttss the bright array of Ne*v Zealand lamb and mutton. I was

! - : c«r---T? tciirii in the selection, but it- was ; thai th* swat was something : sfv-cici. The notice announced that T"* 1 -C~Feild:n- Asrieultaral and Pastoral : \:or snd shipped by *n-? Fefcing^Far- ■ Freestr.- Cortrr>ariv. me dozeI -areas-?* of lamb were a very fine show. : ?-"-rr» ?-~0 carrases of New Zealand lamo ■ ur.d un to '2o!} carcases of motion are soli frcr.': these- stores per week. 3itd tb: exr-ellenr cold stores below which I —s; allowed to is.?n*ct enable the ce~ : ruu-tzrent :o maintain the- seeds in the i best possible condition in sll weathers. ! What" is irne resrarcins Hhrrod's and I the marketins of meat is also true in ■ respect to the Artsy and Naw Stores | ir.d the ether b : .z siops. bat- Harrod's ' an this o'vasnc had made a special dis- \ o'.av rf their Canterhnrv lamb and rnut- } tun to* which credit is due. i At Messrs John Barker and Co. one i snail winnow was devoted entirely to > N"eT Zealand bnt it was- sot j labelled with the Imperial Bee brand. ! It seems thai this £ra are larsrs- buyers ;in bulk s**d the -1 " bottle the honey thezn- ! -elves. TTwv put en their own label | -T.d a sm-.lfer ore pt the bottom of the ' Ix-tfi? 'New Zealand honey/'" There is | r.c- guarantee, or course, that this is j etjv.al iri to Imperial Bee. —hicfa 1 Is Mended .-.r.d hostled by Messrs A. J. j Mills ar.d Co.. Hfirtod's.Selfridge's, and j the Annv and Nnvy Stores were all > soiling ths InvDerial Bee brand and | caking a sswd display cf it. Three { windows were devoted to Australian [ —ares at Barker's. One exhibited ! timed fruits ar.d jana, and a "ilia j Ora" orange squash -was noticeable. i Onlv Anstralian wir.ea were shown in j another window, and in another tier© j I was a display of cream serrre at Is 4sd | I n ynrd and made from Anstralian woof, i Selfridge's mads a composite window j j display of the various Dominions, and ' w*!re making a feature of their j j Dominion nroduce,- hut it was j j left to the Army and Navy to demon- | I strata, how the snirit of the Empire ; ! Shopping "Week can be carried out in. j j ail its thoroughness, i I The Spirit of Thorottgniiess.

This firm now has some fourteen or fifteen show windows racing Victoria ctreet, and in every one tney were careful to show nothing tnat was not •eitner produced or manufactured is the limpire. Pots and pans, wines, cutlery, bottled and tinned fruit, dried fruit, sugar, leather goods, carpets and curtains., farm tools, pianos and musical instruments, cotton goods, giassware, and gloves were ail displaved m these windows and plainly marked with large labels for ail the* world to see "'Kmpire produce." "Our employees," said the organiser of the scheme, "are mainly ex-soldiers and officers, who have been in many parts of the Empire, and they have all shown great enthusiasm in their effort." Throughout every department, including the clothing, the placards told the same tale, "Made within the Empire." "Tine ladies' underwear/' said my guide, "is beautiful stuff, and it only shows there is no need to go to France for it." An assistant looked out from a pyramid of Imperial Bee Honey. ."Is there a good sale for this?" he was asked. "Oh, yes." he said, ''and every one is delighted with it." Lace, hats boots and shoes._ glassware, motor-cars, machinery and implements had never given a workman in a foreign country a moment's thought. Even a large percentage of the articles in the chemist's department were made in England. In the produce department one found oneself among the familiar overseas goods, and in the cold stores were to be read the well-known labels of New Zealand freezing; works. It was all very refreshing, and one left these great sfores feeling more than ever convinced that the Empire is self-supporting, and an that is needed is a Press campaign to make it an unfashionable thing to trafSc in foreign goods.