SUCCESSFUL TOUR

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 12, 9 October 1928, Page 3

SUCCESSFUL TOUR

SCOTTISH-AUSTRALIANS / ABROAD Dominion Special Service. Auckland, October 8. Details of one of the greatest publicity campaigns.which has ever benefited Australia were given by Mr. A. Gilchrist, manager of the party of 628 Australians of Scottish birth or descent, which recently comprised a delegation to Scotland. Mr. Gilchrist is returning to Australia by the Niagara accompanied by 118 members of the party. Mr. Gilchrist stressed, the point that the trip from every point of view had been an outstanding success. It had resulted in an increased demand for Australian goods in Great Britain, but he personally wished to take a larger outlook and hoped that it had helped the cause of Imperialism. “Our members came from every part of Australia and provided an example of the ordinary Australian public,” Mr. Gilchrist said. “The ordinary man in the street does not think much of the British Empire; he is chiefly concerned with that particular part of it to which he belongs, but I thinl. we showed the people in Great Britain something of the meaning of Imperialism, and in so doing benefited not only Australia but also every part of the Empire.” The most tangible object of the tour was to place Australian produce into the homes of the Scottish people. It was not to encourage emigration to Australia, Scottish people were told that the country districts in Australia w’ere not yet ready to absorb immigrants, but that when the Australian markets extended, and Scottish people could help to extend them, then Australia could take more young men. and give them ample opportunities in life. This point was driven home in a variety of ways, and Mr. Gilchrist spoke to at least 20,000 school children during the trip. Shop-window displays of Australian produce were organised in every town the delegation visited and the Australian Government Publicity Office offered special prizes. This aroused so great an interest that grocers who had never before stocked Australian produce obtained supplies and were now maintaining them in answer to a definite demand created by the mission. Two I special trains were used to convey the

mission through Scotland, and to each of these trains a special luggage van was attached fitted up as a travelling exhibition. Over 250,000 people passed through these ears in Scotland, inspecting exhibits of Australian produce and purchasing small samples.