N.Z. DISPLAY IN ENGLAND

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22193, 9 September 1937, Page 16

N.Z. DISPLAY IN ENGLAND

SEVERE CRITICISM BY VISITOR

LETTER TO BE SENT TO MINISTER

severe criticism 01 iieawnu b display at last year's British Industries Fair was contained in a letter read at yesterday's meeting of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association. A copy of the letter is to be sent to the Minister for Marketing (the Hon. W. Nash). The letter, •which was produced at the meeting by Mr R. C. Todhunter, was written to him by a relative in England. "Last year in London I -went to the British Industries Fair at Olympia," the letter read. "I was given a pass to go in with the buyers before the general public. At every stall I walked past* the person in charge was most courteous asking me what I was most interested in and showing me the exhibitions. I was particularly Struck with the South. African and Australian stalls. Their goods were varranged attractively, and everything looked fresh, and they both had excellent showmen, each getting the best from his stall. "When I came to the .New Zealand stall I felt really ashamed. Nothing looked clean, everything was badly arranged, and hanging above the stall was a .queer-looking object which happened to be a wax model of a lamb carcase. If New Zealand cannot afford to advertise her Canterbury lamb better than by having a wax model, not even of the right shape, she is better not to do so at all, for surely for that one fortnight she could arrange to have some frozen carcases on exhibition. "And with apples she could surely make another good exhibition; but no. She had some dtrty-looking honey and some very badly-made gloves made by an amateur just to show what could be done with sheepskin, but nothing of our wool. ' "And above all, behind our stall were two girls in dirty white overalls. When I asked them various auestions they said with broad Lancashire accents that it was nothing to do with them, and they did not even know where New Zealand was. Surely there are always New Zealand girls in London who would be only too pleased to earn a little extra pocket money, and who would take some pride in our stall during the British Industries Fair, and who at. least would know something about the country; We would be better not to nave a. stall than to have it done so' badly. A friend ot mine who went this year said the New Zealand stall was again a disgrace. Surely for Coronation year the Hign Commissioner could have made some P "We. should send this letter to the Government to show that we are alive to what is going on, and that we are not getting justice in London,. said Mr Todhunter. . A copy of the letter is to be sent to the Minister for Marketing.