DOMINION PRODUCE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 36, 11 August 1934, Page 11

DOMINION PRODUCE

THE GLASGOW CAMPAIGN

RESULTS SATISFACTORY

LAMB FOR SANDWICHES

(From "Tho Post's" Representative.) LONDON, July 6.

Glasgow is the homo of fresh meat.

Moreover, a few years ago it was not much in favour of New Zealand butter. These facts being considered, the recent campaign in favour or" our produce has given the Meat Board and the Dairy Board considerable satisfaction. Tho campaign was opened by the High Commissioner, who had, received an invitation from tho Clyde Dock authorities. But previous to that tho officials of the two boards had canvassed retailors in the city and surrounding district. Tor instance, tho Dairy Board officials called on 1228 re-' tailors, and of these 930 wero found to be selling New Zealand butter. Among tho meat salesmen 40 entered for tho window-dressing competition, and among tho produce retailers 95 entered in No. 1 section (being composed of multiple shops and co-operative stores), and 128 entered for No. 3 section made up of private traders. A very attractive shop was taken near the Central Station and the usual display of advertising material was made. There was newspaper advertising and posters were placed in all parts of the town and district. Samples of butter in :}lb pats wero sold to. tho number of 16.09, and 1900 samples of ehuese in 2oz pats. LAMB SANDWICHES. The Meat Board made an innovation and prepared lamb sandwiches for sale in order to lot the pdoplo try the merits of cooked frozen lamb. The sandwiches were sold singly as well as in bags each containing threo sandwiches, cheese, biscuits, and a New Zealand apple. As many as 4000: single- sandwiches were sold, thns giving the board's pfucialsan opportunity of getting into'touch with tho consumers and talking of the merits of tho meat, and removing the popular prejudice against the frozen article. A painting competition for children was arranged by tho Meat Board, and prizes wero presented at the largest cinema house in the city, a thousand children being present. Lady Mason, wife of an ex-Provost of Glasgow, presented tho prizes and Sir Stephen Billsland, Bart., president of the Chamber of Commerce, -addressed the children on the' subject of Empire. . Afterwards the children wero entertained with cinema films illustrating New Zealand trades as well as New Zealand life and scenery. > ' , . Finally, a largo number of merchants, provision retailers, butchers, and their assistants wore the guests of tho two boards at the. Central Hotel, when the silver cups, diplomas, and cash prizes were presented to th'o winners in the window-dressing competitions. The chair was taken by Mr. 11. E. Davis (Dairy Board), and ■ Lord Provost Swan and Mrs. Swan wero present.

WHOLEHEARTED CO-OPERATION.

Mr. Davis said that tho co-operation of tho retail trade was evidenced by tho fact that whilo in 1933—wheti they had run their last campaign in the city—thero wero only twenty-threo entries for tho window-dressing competitions of Now Zealand dairy produce, there were 223 entries for the competitions just concluded. ■ Tho success of the present campaign had undoubtedly been largely contributed to by the wholehearted co-opera-tion of the retail and wholesalo trade of Glasgow. Thore was an evident tendency, said Mr. Davis, in certain quarters to sell Now Zealand butter ana cheese under the general term of Empire, but it should bo remembered that thero were many sources of Empiro 'supplying butters of many different grades. He would like to emphasiso that Now Zealand did not permit aiiy of her butter under, first quality to :be sold in tho retail shops. LORD PROVOST'S SPEECH. Lord Provost Swan said although they were there that afternoon under tho" auspices' of tho New Zealand produce boards, being Scottish, -they also had their own motives. Ono of these was to obtain and ensure that the article they sold was of tho very best. That being so they, with their knowledge of the trade, had for somo little time put New Zealand produce in tho front of their sales campaigns. Today thero was a good deal of talk of helping their own home farmer, and there was also tho point of view that tho importation of Empire and foreign produce was absolutely against - the welfare of our home industry, which in this instance was their own farmer. He (the Lovrl Provost) wanted definitely to state that Empire produce did not compete with tho home farmer, and even if it in any way did so, there was a way in which they as shopkeepers could help tho home farmer ancl stiil support tho overseas Empire producers. He found that in the first five'months of this year 9500 tons of butter had come into this country, not from Empire countries, but from ,counJ tries outside the ■ Empire. That butter was competing not only against Empire produce, but against the home farmer. An important point so far as New Zealand produce was concerned, was that they would never receive anything but the\very best, and_ that was not a peculiar characteristic of any of tho foreign countries he had referred to. TRADE WITH GLASGOW. Kef erring to trade with Glasgow, his Lordship said that today three ships were being built on the Clyde- for carrying food from New Zealand to. this country. Thcso vessels were being equipped with the latest mb provements in refrigeration, so that goods ojj the highest quality and best condition would be delivered on out' shores. ♦, Therefore, he ■ag'tiin said, buy from New Zealand and you will be' helping work ou tho Clyde. It gave him great pleasure- to bo. there to sec the great amount of energy and zest which tho Now Zealand Produce Boards wero putting into their campaign ou behalf of the inhabitants of their country, endeavouring to provide thfim with more work and money to spend with the Mother Country. Mr. Forsyth, thanking the l^ord Provost, said that something like- 00 per cent, of tho New Zealand farmers wore o£ Scottish origin, and ho was sure they would read with delight that the chief citizen of Glasgow and his good lady had come to that function to help in the New Zealand campaign. Scotland was famed for its enterprise, so that the enterprise shown by Now Zealand traders could bo attributed to their Scottish parentage: Ho felt a little disappointed that they had not received greater support ' for the window-dressing competition, but sinco coming to the city, ho had discovered Ih»t they had been just a little Into in the "season.. This, however, would be remedied next year. Jlr. Forsyth asked the. Lady 7'rovost (Mrs. Swit'n) to accept a bnskel; of New Zealand produce as ;i. Miiiill recognition ;ind acknowledgment of tho kindly interest which tho Lord Provost ami Jie.i-.self had taken in tho caiup;iign, (Applause.)