ENGLAND WAKES UP

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 10, 13 January 1932, Page 7

ENGLAND WAKES UP

EMPIRE TRADE SHOW

FOR WORLD'S BUYERS

. By Sir Robert Donald, G.8.E.: (Vice-chairman of the Empire Prest Union and" Member of the British Industries Fair Publicity Commit- ■ teg.) ■■'•;■ ■ , ;■: •:: With the Kational Government set* tling down to its wfcrk', the exchanga position giving a fillip to Britain.'s export trade to foreign countries, with the- promise of reciprocal agreements at Ottawa between the countries of tlie Empire, and with full preference, for tilt Dominions and colonies, in operation under the anti-dumping import duties, the stage is set foi- a. record British Industries Fair in London and -■Birmingham, next February. Whini the curtain goes up on this great industrial . show there will be seen the latest products of over 2000 British manufacturers as well as the produce, raw materials, and manufactures of. almost all the Dominions and colonies. -It will be the biggest trade, exhibition ever held in Great Britain—the:<biggest national trade exhibition : in the/ world, and bigger than many of the. great' international ' trade fairs on- the' Cbnti-■ nent. . At Qlynipia,',London, : will be ;a.U the lighter trade group*—each- one of the 1Z or so forming, an exhibition in itself at, Castle Bromivich,; .Binning. ■ ham, will bo the hardware,-gaaj-electri-cal, constructional, and' eßtgihiexiflg groups; aoid^at thoVrhite^ityiLondoii, then&w combined textile display! .''• As we of a committee which was called upon by the Government in 1930, under lord' Chelnisford's chairmanship, to report on how the. usefulness; of the Fair to British industry might be still further increased, it is 7 gratifying to find as a part of the Fair, for the[first time this .section at tho- White City! in. which every branch of the. great .textile industries of this country; will b> represented, and in which all. the arts . of display and showmanship, will .!}<♦ used to make it. easy 'for the buyer to find what he wants^ , . !V'.■'.. y It is also interesting to note that the engineer > from abroad .will ;ba- abl» to see in the. Fair for the first tim» this year a .''representative' exhibit of quarrying and roadmaking plant, including an outside working -exhibit showing every process from the quarrying of stone to the completion -. of a niodern.highway with.up-to-date;light-ing and automatic traffie'signals. Tha British -industries concerned in roadmaking have'made immense strides in.' recent, years owing to the:big road schemes, and their exhibits should'be of especial value to the visitor from .tho progressive countries: of "the' Empire, MEETING COMPETITIOnJ >~ - .In several sections of the;Fairi it'may; bo expected.that the practical1 results :.:- will be seen of the - recent xnissions . which various trades have serf;-.overseas '■■ under the Overseas Trade. Development Council's scheme to: investigate: the needs' of : foreign markets. There will also be seen in the exhibits the British manufacturers' reply to.-the'recent exhibition held in London .of.'goods bought by the big retail- stores from. I abroad in. the absence of similar goods of: the right design, quality, and pric* . at"home. This exhibition of.-foreign samples was visited, by many■-'-exhibi-tors in the Fair who went straight back to their factories to gut 4hto producr tion at competitive prices. the kind! 6J goods for which, they ■■were "assure! there was a ready market. .. :l A NEW SPIRIT. If I am not mistakcu thiis- is: typical : of a new spirit among J3ritisli..manu-r facturefs. It was a -spirit remarked: upoa¥y more;than ohc-iniportant^buyet; ai'tK-j: last Tair. :''Weiha:ve'beenredur catiujj, .Bcoldingj-: persuadrngthe British. maJDufacturer for years .to make, what we want and to try and'g'et'his;prices down so that-we could increase our, home purciiases," tho controller 1 6i~a, <.. big group of hotels told me at the last Fair. "At last we are-rewarded for , our patience and we are herei what we .want at a price-that we can. jifford. Set the British-manufacturer a, task,.arid he will Accomplish.-.-it eveh- .■■ toally. Purchases, for hotels; cover ;a wjde irange, but there is- hardlyy an. ar« tide ;ia our.,hotels' •now : -that;is 'not " bought in Britain.'*. > .' Those trade buyers'^ from -the,;inora : distant Empire countries who are visiting' the Fair' ate already onLtheir way; fb England.' To those-..>• who"cannot make 'the journey I.would- say, •< : SeB that your United Kingdom .agent makes a% close, inspection, of the! jjFiir.;: ;H» will fini it the easiest .way of'learnins what is new and good in British prodiiction. He will learn what the other Em* v- pire countries have to. offer.yon. ,H» :. will thus b.e able.to-.buy,-for you more : wisely- and economically than'ever before. Incidentally,: ho will "find th« V 8.1. F. a fine tonic for:despondency.-It ' will till;him' with-faith 'in-,*he .futura , of Empire trade." f TheaFair opens in London and Birmingham, on.22nd Feb» ruary,-the various sections closing' oa dates varying from-3rd-to; sth-March«