DOMINION PRODUCE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 8, 9 July 1931, Page 11

DOMINION PRODUCE

PUBLICITY AT HOME

GOVERNMENT CRITICISED "PALTUY" '.ALLOWANCE . The contention 'that tho Government had done nothing in the present financial crisis to improve Now Zealand's trade abroad was put forward by Mr. A. M. Samuel, M.P., in an address to-the annual conference of tho New Zealand Farmers' Union to-day. Ho criticised tho "paltry" vote for publicity purposes,, and emphasised'that .it was thu Government's duty to seek Increased markets to obviate in some measure tho necessity of .inflicting hardships on the community ,by increased taxation. "As the,national income depends so largely upon thy sales of our primary produce,-it will readily bo seen, that the salesmanship, extension ol 01U' mar-' kots, and marketing conditions generally, arc of vital concern to the Government of this country," said Mr. Samuel. "I would like it to be clearly understood that v any reference I make the Government iv this connection lis not in a spirit of carping criticism, but as a suggwtion of a constructive and necessary nature The .Government in tho present financial crisis _ has, in my opinion, done nothing to improve our trade abroad; iv other words, to bring inoro-money into Now Zealand. The financial condition in which New Zealand finds herself at presont is duo entirely, to the failuto of market prices for her produce iv Great Britain. \\c are producing more than ever, and aro. concentrating on a still greater produc tion, but side by "side with this increaseof'production the Government should be moving in tho divoctiou of extending our--markets. At present.! see no evidence of this taking place. The fact of spending largo sums of money ou scientific aids to. production doe's not help unless we can profitably sell all we produce. The Government is certainly teaching farmers how to increase production, but-is it helping them to sell their produce to advantage* Ithink not. The Government does not seem to realise the importance ot keep, ing paco with other producing countries in advertising and - publicity. Our chief and practically our only market at present is Britain. What is the Government doing there to help the salo of, our primary products? It has its- High Commissioner's Office. _ioiu inquiry I learned that the only man m this office who, for the past live or six years, has been organising produce propaganda with the Produce Boards, and doing most reliable work m this direction,, has never at any time been granted more than a paltry £100.0 to £2000 per annum.for this publicity work, while Australia has had - her £65,000 per annum, Canada #100,00" for knnum, South Africa £15 000, and Iroland £10,000 per annum. Yet those countries havo built up their organisations largely on the results ot his work. Of this I.have seen.positive proot. ft RESTRICTED ACTIVITIES. Mr. Samuel■'referred to the retrenchment aud subsequent reinstatement (as a result of urgent representations by the primary producers' representatives) of the Publicity Officer ot tho High .Commissioner'a Department,. Apart from this officer," ho went on, 'thc-i.c is no one,representing the Governuicut in London'assisting market development. Tho High Commissioner is certainly 'doing very excellent work but With thesinall sum at his command tor 'fciblieityi npiurpososy-ihis activities arc .restricted. .The Governmental;, .fccw Zealand is certainly not- giving tu. High Commissioner -sufficient «icoin-. agement in tho matter of extending the markets' for our primary produce, . It may be said .that the Produce Boaids have been-formed to carry out™ikc. extension activities.. That is so, ova their representatives in London, Mc*.si... Forsyth, Davis, Castle, and Brown', Jirc doing most valuable work, and. avp mos - excellent representatives of the Dom ion.-But, in my opinion, tl o Got cm ment has a great responsibility™ tlie .Sitter of marketing the Dominion s produce. When- markets fall tho State revenue falls, and this deficiency has to be made up by inflicting hardships on the community in various ways, including increased taxation, It is the Government's duty, if necessary, to inflict these hardships; it should, therefore, be equally tho Government's duty to en-de-avour to get some revenue into tho country,-by seeking increased mark s, and thus in some measure obviating the necessity of inflicting tho hardships aforementioned." .. .- ~ .. Mr. Samuel maintained that the excellent, work being done' by the High Commissioner would be negatived if there was not sufficient money to follow it up by some selling organisation and publicity. The pioneering work required was in the shops and among the C reat ; directorates controlling the multiple shops. The Dominion as a political entity . should step in there, .and all her political and diplomatic weight should be thrown into, tho task of inducing tho shopkeeper to substitute New Zealand for foreign produce. -.