GOLDEN JUBILEE

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 June 1928, Page 2

GOLDEN JUBILEE

C. SMITH, LTD., CELEBRATE

’Fifty years ago, the flrm of C. Smith. Ltd., commenced business in New Zealand. To-day, it is one of the biggest and best-known business enterprises in the Dominion. In fact, the name of C. Smith has become what is commonly termed a household word. It is now celebrating its Golden Jubilee, and that celebration is taking the form of special price concessions in all departments —drapery, clothing, furnishing, and others. Jubilees are popular at this period of the Dominion’s history, but it is safe to say that none will be so popular with the people as that of C. Smith, Ltd., The faculty of being able to estimate accurately the •requirements of customers, and, at the same time, to give the best value possible, has counted much in the success achieved by the firm, and the history of its fifty years of trading would make more interesting reading than many works of fiction. The principal of the firm, the late Mr. Christopher Smith, commenced business in Wellington half a century ago, in a very small shop. The firm’s premises are now among the largest in the Capital City, and there are branch establishments at Palmerston North, Masterton, Nelson and Greymouth. The late Mr. Christopher Smith had a widespread reputation of being one ol the keenest buyers in the trade. The firm is now being controlled by his sons, with Mr. Horace Smith at the head. He left for London a few weeks ago, to confer with the firm’s representatives there.

THE GREYMOUTH BRANCH , The story of the firm’s growth at Greymouth is typical of that in other parts of the Dominion. When the shutters were first taken down, in a small shop on Boundary Street, the firm was “very small potatoes,” but the energy of the late Mr. E. J. Smith soon improved matters. That was forty-five years ago. Within a very short period, a move was made into a shop on Mawhera Quay, on the site of which the firm’s present premises are located. An old photograph, still in the possession of the firm, gives an interesting glimpse of Mawhera Quay in the very early days. Half a dozen citizens, including the manager, the late Mr. E. J. Smith (then a young man) are standing in front of the shop, and the cut of their suits would make any tailor of to-day hold up his hands in horror. Window dressing methods have also changed greatly at Greymouth in the last half-century. Little can be seen of the goods in the windows of the old shop, owing to the practice then in vogue of hanging more goods outside the windows, while the entrance to the shop is similarly decorated.” It would seem that Coasters in the early days liked to see the goods without taking the trouble of entering the shop itself. Perhaps they were too busy looking for gold to spare time to look for bargains in drapery! Before the first shop occupied by the firm was built, it is understood that the site was taken up by an hotel, and that the builders discovered a fine collection of old bottles —all empty—and broken glasses while putting in the foundations. With the steady growth of the business, C. Smith’s, Ltd., soon discovered that larger premises were essential, with the result that, about thirty-eight years ago, a new shop was constructed on the same site. Another old photograph §hows that this building had two display windows, and, standing outside the shop, can be seen the late Mr. E. J. Smith (a brother of the founder of the firm), Mr. J. Truscott, who was then a member of the staff, and others. Next door to Smith’s shop was that of Hannah and Co., boot and shoe retailers (then in charge of Mr. J. W. Chalk), whose present fine concrete building at the junction of Mackay and Tainui Streets is the greatest contrast imaginable to their old home, just as C. Smith’s concrete building of to-day is to the first and second wooden shops of the firm.

The “daddy” of C. Smith’s Greymouth staff to-day, so far as length of employment is concerned, is Mr. R. Heffernan. Thirty-three years ago, as a boy, he began to take orders from the heads of the staff; to-day, as one of the heads himself, hp gives them. When Mr. Heffernan joined the staff, it consisted of the late Mr. E. J. Smith (manager), Mr. W. Panckhurst (now of Oamaru), Mr. C. Young (now of Wanganui), Mr. A. E. Kilgour (Greymouth), Mrs. G. R. Wylde, Mrs. H. Lee (Reefton), and Miss A. Blackmore (Wellington). Among former employees are remembered Mrs. Heffernan (who served in the office for ten years, then .being Miss Rundle); Mrs. L. Hogg (who was with the firm 18 years as Miss Heaphy); Mrs. D. McKay (then Miss Hogg); Mrs. L. Armstrong (then Miss Heaphy); Mrs. D. Hannan (then Miss R. Beresford); Mr. J. Truscott, Mr. R. Jellie (now of Hornby), Mr. J. McKnight (now of the State Mine Stores Department), Mr. T. Kiely (Greymouth), and others. When Mr. E. J. Smith died, on March 31, 1921, his son, Mr. R. B. Smith, took 1 over the management of the Greymouth branch, and he still holds that position. Mr. R. B. Smith’s association with the firm now numbers twentyone years. The present staff numbers about twenty, and two of the longservice members are Mr. J. G. Godso, who has been in the clothing department for the past ten years, and Miss Gladys Sloan, who has been in the office for eight years. The present handsome two-storey concrete building was erected in 1914, and its welldressed windows and well-stocked departments make it one of the chief rendezvous for West Coasters. The most cordial of invitations is extended to everyone by Messrs C. Smith, Ltd., to visit the premises, and, by taking advantage of the special price concessions, join enjoyably and profitably in the Golden Jubilee of the firm.