NEW ZEALAND IN THE HOME MARKETS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 185, 3 May 1929, Page 11

NEW ZEALAND IN THE HOME MARKETS

MORE MONEY WANTED FOR ADVERTISING

ARGENTINE’S BID FOR THE FRUIT SALES

In the course of a private letter, Mr. Len McKenzie, formerly a member of the Wellington City Council (writing from Hastings, Kent), states that he and Mrs. McKenzie had, on March 19, just returned from Europe. One inducement to return to England so early was the great Empire Industrial Exhibition, which was a huge success. “Whilst there I' met Mr. A. E. Batt,” writes Mr. McKenzie, “who is over here looking up agencies, and who returns at the end of April via America. In spite of the Prince’s appeal I found many Englishmen still very vague indeed about the Dominion and its prospects. Many of them still believe it to be part of Australia —an island detached from the mainland in some prehistoric eruption. Canada had a most wonderful and expensive show, and is certainly out to impress the English people. Money seems to be no object. In comparison New Zealand’s show was overshadowed completely. We •want a little money for advertising, but it must be expended carefully. I feel that a good deal of Canada’s money is thrown away. “One thing we could do at comparatively little cost would be to include show-cards with our fruit. When I first came to England I drew attention to the need of printed slips for our butter. That was g .en effect to, and now we see them displayed across the blocks of New Zealand butter in the shops in many places. The butchers, too, have large red-paint-ed slips extending right across their windows drawing attention to the arrival of Canterbury lamb. “This week I was shown some beautiful samples of Argentine fruit, pears in particular, which were easily the best shown so far. London merchants are now expecting consignments of bananas from the same source. The Argentine people claim to have discovered a new process of spraying which prevents any darkening of the skin. The fruit I saw compared with the best we get from Jamaica, and I was told that the Argentine is out to capture the London fruit market, as it has certainly captured the beef market. In this case New Zealand should miss no chance of drawing attention to the excellence of her apples, and furnish all buyers with attractive show cards. We have as good a name now for our apples as we have for our butter and lamb, but every means should be taken to safeguard that position. New Zealand’s Fanning Position.

“Next month we are going to Norway, so gradually are covering pretty well the whole of Europe, but no country that I know has the great farming future of New Zealand, and I am sure its importance must grow as the steady and always increasing producer of those primary products for which there is always so ready a market on this side of this hungry old world.”