Criticism Of N.Z. Stand At Food Fair “Baloney”

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28766, 11 December 1958, Page 18

Criticism Of N.Z. Stand At Food Fair “Baloney”

DUNEDIN, December 10.

“Baloney,” said the manager of the National Publicity Studios (Mr R. W. Fenton) today, when he. replied to criticism by a Palmerston North businessman about New Zealand’s display at the British Food Fair. The businessman (Mr P. K. Fowler) said the Dominion’s stand was ‘‘shoddy enough to make my heart sink in shame.” , “I know perfectly well,” said Mr Fenton, “that by the general standard of the show, New Zealand’s display was not one to make anyone hang their head in shame. “It is nothing to do with me. It is the concern of the Board of Marketing, but I thought the display was quite well done. “Naturally, it can’t be compared with the Brussels Fair, which was an entirely different proposition. One show was on for a fortnight and the other was on for six months.” Mr Fenton showed coloured slides of the food fair to a reporter. He had taken them, he

explained, to give New Zealand designers a general impression of the type of stand erected by commercial firms and by other countries.

Part of New Zealand’s display was a specially prepared cow; “a wonderful piece of taxidermy.” The eyes and ears of the animal moved and even the tail swished. In addition to the produce, there were colour transparencies. “Some exotic places had wines and fruits which are much more attractive to lay out,” he said. “I think New Zealand people tend to forget the country’s relative size.

“But I am confident,” Mr Fenton added, “that I saw more advertising for New Zealand meat, butter and cheese in England than for any other competing country.” “Very Good Display”

Disagreement with Mr Fowler was also expressed today by a Wellington businessman (Mr James Duncan), who returned to Wellington from Britain this week. “I also saw the New Zealand display and, while there is always room for improvement in everything in this world, I thought it was a very good display.” There were queues of people waiting to buy samples of New Zealand butter and cheese. That in itself was a very good sign of the success of the New Zealand display, he said.