PLEA FOR 'OPTIMISM.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19112, 22 September 1927, Page 8

PLEA FOR 'OPTIMISM.

MR APPLETON'S ADVICE. '•There is at present a wave of depression sweeping over the Dominion, but we don't know we're alive yet," said Sir Will Appleton in the course of an address before members of the Canterbury Advertising Club last night. He stated that he had recently met a man, an engineer, who had tramped over England for six months looking vainly for a job at £2 a week, and was glad to come to the Dominion. What was wanted to-day was faith. He had been told that butter-fat was better by 2d or 3d in Taranaki than it was during the corresponding period of last year and he understood that a similar position obtained in Auckland. But lie did not think that the good times of the last six years-could 'be expected to last.

While, however, conditions were not at present brig-lit in the Dominion they were worse in Australia. It would be necessary to reduce expenses and he did not think that the high prices we had got used to would last. He hoped that salaries would not need to be reduced, but this might have to come about. "But in bad times," continued Mr Appleton, "advertising is logically the last thing that ought to be cut down. You have got to put in every effort to sell your goods." Mr C. Jones blamed the newspapers for much of the pessimism that was prevalent and urged that they should display more optimism in their columns. For instance, lie said, it was depressing to see such a heading as "T>rop in Land Values." It had a bad effect on a man who owned a house. At the same time he admitted that he would rather go without his breakfast than his morning's Pres-.