TURNING THE TABLES

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 23, 27 January 1923, Page 7

TURNING THE TABLES

NEW ZEALAND RUGS IN GREAT BRITAIN MARKET FOR OTHER WOOLLEN GOODS. \ .. . (?kom ona own corresposmnt.) LONDON, 14th December. Some few months ago a trial consignment of New Zealand. rugs was sent to London, and those who attempted the experiment have reason to, be pleased with the result. The idea of sending woollens from the Dominion to England is rather a new .one* but there are Lon-. don merchants who . foresee _in it a new commercial development which should in time be of great benefit to the people overseas. One of them whp is interested in the subject and who is not without knowledge of tihe New Zealand trade was good enough this week to express his opinions freely on the subject for my i benefit."" The question, he said, had often. ! been discussed, but apart from an mdi- v vidual visiting England wishing- to make his expenses the exploitation, of New Zealand woollen products in this coun- i try, had nqt been tried. The individual I in question had on more thaii one oocaI sion found a ready market for rugs.

"There is undoubtedly a' ready market in England for. New Zealand woollen goods, tod it has surprised hie," my informant remarked, n "that the manufacturers there have not seen fit to* exploit the markets in a systematic? mariner. Ohq" often .hears tha!t manufacturers in tho Dominion cannot make sufficient for their local needs. That is a very enviable position for them to_be in, and 1 perhaps makes them feel quite satisfied. On the other hand,. it may.be because.there is not enough skilled labour available in the Dominion. Their rugs are certainly a wonderfttl prodiiotdon—second to none in the world—they can be justly proud of them. But are they alive to the great market awaiting theini here on this side? They can be made a permanent necessity bore by keeping ready stocks. I venture to assert tliat with a comprehensive range and by .visiting .all the principal centres of the United Kingdom there would be no difficulty in placing initial orders for at least ten thousand rugs, and that is under the mark rather than over it.

"It would be necessary to have a large percentage of Scotch plaid designs, plain on ohe.sido and a, plaid on the other, 4£ to 6£lb weight being the most suitable. The average, motorist will always want weight combined with the best article that can be made.

COST. OF PRODUCTION. "The cost of production in New Zealand tx>day is very similar to that in the' United Kingdom. In pre-war days there was certainly a marked difference. Now, however, wages and overhead charges are much higher in England, and taxation too is. high. Moredver, there is no duty oh New Zealand goods coming into this Country. The freight is. really the only item to take into consideration.

"There .is.a market here, too, for good New Zealand worsteds. These compare favourably, with the English article,, and as there is generally a shortage of the finer oloths, I am confident they would find a'ready demand. Then the New Zealand flannels, ' with steady effort, oould be plaoed on thi6 market. There is a New Zealand oolony in England of from, four to five thousand, and in tho summer months there are always lurge numbers of visitors. Their presence means a demand for New Zealand products', if suoh are available. • . . , AGREEMENT BETWEEN MANUFACTURERS. "It would be necesKvry for all the New Zealand manufacturers to form themselves into one company ferr th» particular purpose of fostering trade in the United Kingdom. Combined effort is essential on their part. If only one of them decided to giver it a trial, good work • would ■be done. But as this _is such a -large market to cater for, besides havingthe American and Canadian and Continental buyers resident here to look after aa woH, the best solution would be for all the Now Zealand manufacturers to oome to a workingl, agreement. By so doing it would prevent overiapphiK and also ensuie ready supplies. "Orders, too, couki be booked eight to twelve months in advance, whioh would be advantageous. Such.an arrangement might help them financially, apart from the increased turnover, because the moneys received here for goods could be used by their own London houses and so save exohange, which roust be a fairly large item, in a year's trading. "The British Empire Exhibition in 1924 would be an ideal stepping-off point for such a. projeot, and. in the meantime the manufacturers could make their arrangements accordingly. The market i« here, and with the improvement in trade,, which is already manifest, a splendid opportunity awaits them, which should not be allowed to pase. Looking at jt from the standpoint of a cold business proposition, it must succeed, and become a.boon to New Zealand as a whole."