Retailers Reply To Charge Of Apathy

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29871, 11 July 1962, Page 17

Retailers Reply To Charge Of Apathy

Ventures so generously supported by retailers hail probably led some persons to expect too much too often, S'nd those who had been so critical had very short memories, said She president of the Canterbury and Westland Retailers' Association (Mr L. Corner) in a statement replying to the chairman of the public relations committee of the Canterbury Progress League (Mr H. E. Radley), w’ho had accused the retailers’ association of a-pat'hy towards local and combined publicity promotion. Retailers did not expect thanks, but considered criticism unfair, Mr Corner said “Outward appearances, as with first impressions, are frequently deceptive, and it would certainly appear from the tenor of recent somewhat partisan statements at’.riI bated to its officers that the Canterbury Progress League has allowed itself wittingly or unwittingly to be deceived as to the extent of Christchurch retailer support of worth-while civic projects,” he said. Guarantee of £lOO “Outwardly—in the case of 1962 November Carnival Week—the Canterbury and Westland Retailers' Association has agreed to guarantee a retailer contribution of £lOO to the fund which is used for publicising outs.de of Christchurch New Zealand Carnival Week and its trio of major attractions—two racing and one agricultural I and pastoral. The amount to i be contributed is admittedly 'limited to a sum a little less ; than that asked for, but then | we had very good reaeons I for our decision, just as no I doubt there were very good 1 reasons for the decisions of, the other organisations which, while having been I contributors in the past, have this year promised nothing ! “Contrary to the view, many would cherish, not al! sections of retailing can par-1 ticipate in the results of! organised jollity and specu-; lat'ion," Mr Comer said “Therefore we must rely on those sections which do have the opportunity, to provide the bulk of support. However, never let it be said that our £lOO is ‘lip service’ for, while on the -urface £lOO from the organisations of retailers may seem a small sum. one must remember that this is merely the tangible revelation of something far greater—the individual efforts of the retailing community in support of this week and connt!»»«

: other Christchurch feature weeks making them the successes they usually are. “Countless hours of stoff time and additional store display budgets many times the size of our ‘nominal’ contribution go into the decoration of the city’s retail stores at these times. This is not effort and money which would be expended in the normal course of business—this is an extra; but it is unfortunately viewed in some quarters as something to be expected and therefore not valued.

Floral Displays “The citizens of Christchurch have for many years had the pleasure of seeing the numerous floral displays in our stores during what was formerly the Floral Festival.’’ Mr Corner said. “Those who visited Ca-shel street in February of this year will have appreciated the mass show of floral, baskets hanging from all the shop verandas in one section of that street

“The display was attractive. even to the extent of some garden lovers taking a number of the baskets home, but what is more important from the city's point iof view is the fact that this most successful pilot scheme, (though treated in such a ' cavalier fashion by recent ! critics, will be extended to (cover the main shopping | area and will become a regular feature of the February festival It will be one combined retailers’ offering to the Garden City and will involve on present estimates well over 1500 baskets at an expenditure running into | four figures, and. of course, j the store and window displays will still go on. ! “I am afraid that those who ' have been so critical have very short memories, unable to recollect such things as past Royal tour decorations land the Centennial floral processipn. Or is it perhaps ! that these ventures so gen|erously supported by reI tailers have led a few to exipect too much too often? I Whatever the answer, it ill behoves any organisation to be critical of the degree of support received from any section of the community while it is forthcoming.” Toll Lines Cut.— Toll lines between Auckland and Wellington were cut indefinitely yesterday morning by two separate faults. The first occurred at Otahuhu about 10 am., and then at 11.5 am. the post office found a fault in the micro-wave system between the two centres. — (P A > •“