NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 80, 1 October 1924, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE

THE WEMBLEY ANGLE

FRUIT, HONEY, AND DAIRY

PRODUCE

KEEN DEMAND,

(FROM OCR OWN CORRESPOXDE.NT.)

LONDON, 27th August.

If the object of the Dominion's participation in the Exhibition is to show the commercial side of New Zealand's primary products and the actuality and possibilities of her secondary industries, rather than to produce spectacular effects, then ono may feel proud to claim for New Zealand the premier place among colonial exhibits. Looked ab from this angle, it! i§ considered that the absence of merely the show element, and the intense practicability of the display, reveal to the average visitor what New Zealand really is, what she is producing and can produce, and what her, contribution may be to the needs of Empire settlement, . -' '

Taking first the fruit, it Ib painted put that nothing ig shown unless it can be produced, and produced in abundance, All the products can be gold in bulk from the sample exhibited, and inquiries are being received not only from the United Kingdom but from all parts of the European Continent, . Choice fruit particularly is. In keen demand in all European cities, and also in most pf the provincial towns and cities of the United Kingdom, The representative of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation says he has interviewed representatives of .practically all European nationalities, asking to be supplied direct with New Zealand fruit. They peg pur "Commercial package1' at Wembley, iusfc a sample taken from bulk i it pults them and- they want to do, business.

''Some of our growers," remarked'Mr, Attwood, "are. unduly agitated about the need for opening up new markets. It's quite all right if you have the goods. But here in the United Kingdom alono —where our fruit has reached the premier pesition and has set the standard of excellence—it is becoming increasingly known and asked for, This is a market that can absorb all the fruit New Zealand can supply for many years to come.

"The market is here, April to early August inclusive, always at remunerative prices, for 'choice' New Zealand apples and pears. Our problems as New Zealand fruitgrowers must be solved in New Zealand. Briefly they are these :— (a) To pick only choice exportable fruit. (b) To pick" it at the correct stage of maturity. - (c) To pack it in such a way as to stand the many rough handlings inevitable in its long journey between producer and consumer.

"Each of these points is of vital importance to the industry, and the experience gained last year and this (the profit and loss) should help materially to their solution. Even when we have acme our best and still find ourselves the victims of circumstances, we must then master- the circumstances. "Although our fruit exhibition at v\ embley is now reduced to only a few varieties, sufficient has been cool-stored to maintain a full display and- carry 011" sales, « hope, till closing time. Several thousand cases have been sold already, mostly in Is lots. The exhibits staged stand tip very well in the high temperature of the show room, and at the time of writing we still have quite a number of our early and mid-season varieties in the cool-show cabinet. Lengthy reports are being prepared covering the whole seasons exports. These should be of value and interest, as they hold the explanation of many a past disappointment, and we trust that they will point i;.uo way to many an improvement."

THE BUTTER AND CHEESE.

As ono stands near the butter exhibit one hears over and over again the enthusiastic remark, "Beautiful, isn't it beautiful?" Similar remarks may be heard all day long. The reason is obvious, for tho display o f New Zealand butter and cheese is very fine. In the butter cabinot the piece de resistance is the ' Golden Cow," being a life-sized' model of a cow designed in butter. The workmanship of the model is. only excelled by the quality of the butter from which it is modelled. The surroundings which include the model dairy farm ° a map of New Zealand and .England, with vessels carrying the produce from New Zealand, and attractive show cards, are a continuous source of interest. Many of the disturbing coloured flowers have been removed, so that one is not surprised to see the exhibit receiving the general praise and admiration that it deserves.

The butter, which is being sold at a counter close by, is attractively pat up m suitable and artistic cartons," designed by Mr. A. F. Roberts. It commands a ready sale. These cartons can also be unclosed in attractive metal canisters with views of the Exhibition. In these containers tho butter is being forwarded by post to all parts of the Kingdom. The sales have been extensive so that the result that will bo reaped from this form of advertising is incalculable. If tho Dairy Board, in thoir wisdom, only see fit to cany on this practice that has been inaugurated, viz., that of selling New Zealand butter in the carton, it should help very considerably in getting New Zealand butter ,in unadulterated form into the hands of the consumer. Although the cheese exhibit is totally different from the butter, yet it is quite attractive—the cabinet is screened off into bays. Just now the chief attraction is centred around the four mammoth cheeses each weighing ono ton; ono of the bands and hoops in which the cheese was made is also on view. These cheeses look very well indeed, each one being three feet m diameter, and about 4ft 6in high The flavour also is excellent. In one of the bays is a tier of about thirty export cheeses, which are changed periodically • a number of cheese crate ends have been nailed on to battens and form quite an attractive background. Altogether the dairy producers of Now Zealand have every reason to be proud of this exhibit. Both the butter and cheese sJ lO"n. the finest of their kind in the Exhibition, and could they but hear the complimentary remarks that are passed by all sorts and conditions ef-people, they would be moro than pleased.

INSISTENT DEMAND FOR HONEY.

When the Exhibition fust opened rather a dimdence was felt as to whether or not any of the New Zealand products should be offered for sale, but a constant stream of inquiries for the butter and the honey decided that this would bo ,1 wise move, and so it lias proved. Whereas Australia started to sell its products from the first day, Canada still remains adamant, and not only will that Dominion not see its products in the pavilion, but it will not there even book any orders for its fruit.

However, tho New Zealand honey made an attractive display in its containers of various patterns, and go general vas the inquiry, "Can we buy any?" .tiwS. Lite lUMHgcr. .«! &9 stall reported

this to Messrs. A. J. Mills gnd Co., aud he also suggested to the would-be purchasers that, they should go. and see Mr. Roberts and ask him. As the representative of the firm said: "What's the use of showing, if we can't" let the people have somjj to carry away? It's no use, just looking at it. People always expect at exhibitions to be able to buy, even if only small samples." By the second week in May, the sale of Imperial Bee honey began, and from that o^rSJl^ 6 end of July no fewer than 23,000 jars and fancy holders, each containing a nominal pound, have been bought by visitors to the pavilion. The price charged is Is 6d. That honey, as Messrs. A. J. Mills point out, has gone into numerous homes which it would not havo_ reached without the exhibit, and one immediate result "has been innumerable inquiries for it from all over the country; people want to know whether it can be bought locally and from whom. It is claimed that by selling the honey and so advertising it, more has been done for this line.of produce.than any other. "Take the apples," said a member of the firm—"people buying outside Wembley can ask for New Zealand fruit, but they have no guarantee that they are served with what they request. Take the butter—it is a good- advertisement so long as it is in its-neat carton, hut when it is on the table there is nothing to_ gkow its country of origin. But with the honey, this is not the case, for the nama 'New Zealand1 is there as long as the jar holds anything, and often when ÜBsd for other purposes the label is still firmly attached to the jar,, and so is a_ reminder. It has been proved conclusively that tho decision to allow its sale wasß wise one, and that there is nothing infra dig.- 'm.permitting sales at what, after all, is primarily.an exhibition to promote trade. Let people not only soo the products, but let them try them. Publio. memory .'is short, and Wembley contains so much to see that people are apt to forget much that they do see. But give them the opportunity to buy, and when theytake home the honey they have something good by which to remember New Zealand. There are quite a lot of people who tell you they cannot eat honey, but when they have tried the New Zealand honey they say they have never had anything like it'before. They take to it right away, and they will continue to buy it."

In view of the continuous and increasing demand for the product, the New Zealand Honey Producers' • Association has been asked to set about an increase in the supply.

STRIKING .FIGURES.

In 1913 the total export from. New Zealand to London was round about ninety-four tons, and of that amount some fifty tons wag re-exported to the Continent of Europe. In other words, the total consumption in England of New Zealand honey was only about forty tons a year. In 1920-21, when Messrs. Mills took over the agency of the association, they received just on 500 tons. There could be no re-export to the Continent because the rates of exchange were absolutely prohibitive for the New Zealand honey. Its price converted into Belgium and French francs was impossible, and the firm ,had to find a market for about twelve times more than the pre-war quantity. Today New Zealand has a valuable toadc not only in the United Kingdom but in Denmark and Sweden,"to a" lesser extent in Norway, and Finland. In Denmark and Sweden there is not a shop selling honey that is without its stock of the Imperial Bee brand. In Scandmavia very little of the honey is used f^r- manufacturing of confectionery or m&dicines, but is almost entirely for domestic, consumption.

At Wembley, in addition to tlie Tetail demand, orders are being placed for bigger lots, and inquiries are being received from all parts of Europe. Visitors have asked whether the firm has representatives in their countries. Also many letters'of appreciation have been received, and there have been no complaints. Altogether, Messrs. Mills have reason to feel satisfied with what .the Exhibition has done in this connection. It is proving an excellent advertisement for the honey, and more in this way will be effected when the honey film is ready to be shown. That film, aa taken hero,' embodies humour with instruction, and the public like to have their fancy tickled when they "go to the pictures." Top often, when films are wholly educative, they get bored and go out. Next month a Press advertising campaign will be embarked upon. ' Already many attractive posters have been issued.

NEW ZEALAND RUGS.

Mr. F. P. Evans reports many inquiries from wholesalers for the Dominion rugs, and quite a good retail demand. He has a corner in the pavilion, and is able to show his stock" to good advantage. The nigs are attracting many American buyers. The artistic colourings generally are the source of much admiration, particularly perhaps those in which the soft fawn and brown shades .predominate,: for these colourings still arc the most fashionable in soft goods, most of the advance tweeds for. autumn 'wear running on these attractive shadings. Mr Evans announces the formation of the JSI ew Zealand- Bug Company— a designation which embraces all, the separate factories of the Dominion—and he has established a permanent office at Evelyn House, Oxford street—a suitable and central locality. ' .. '. .: