HOME TRADE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 10921, 12 June 1929, Page 6

HOME TRADE

SIGNS OF - PROSPERITY

N.Z. PRODUCE FINDS FAVOR

POLITICAL CHANGE NOT UNEXPECTED.

“Britain bears every sign of prosperity and, though competition is keen" she is more than holding her own in world trade. Better wages ' are being paid there to-day than ever before, hut the cost of living has gone up tremendously, rents, for instance, having doubled in the last few years, and the workers are no better off for all their increased earnings.” In these words, Air. E. T. Dolldrell, managing-director for Messrs. ■Glair Bros., who has been on a trip Home for the past eight and a-half months, stmipied up his impressions of the economic position at Home, when in conversation with a Times representative yesterday. There could he no doubt, Air. Dock drell explained, that England held control of the markets and her merchants were aiming at Continental trade expansion. The old standard of workmanship, which had made British goods famed throughout the world, was being maintained and especial’ attention was being given to tho needs of the Dominions. New Zealand produce was held in high favor at Home, Mr. Doddroll saTcl, and much of this preference could h<\ traced to the excellent impression left on the Homeland by the Dominion troops during the. war. The standard of the produce was excellent, of course, but the point was to bring it to the notice of the people. While the Dominion article was being pushed in no hesitant fashion in many respects, there was one mistitke which had come before the Gisborneito very emphatically. This was in regard to the displays of New Zealand produce at the British Industries Fair and the Ideal Home Exhibition, at both, of which the Do-, minion exhibit was a very small affair, not one-tenth the,., size of tho Canadian stall, for instance. “Such shows offer ideal opportunity for publicity,” added Air. Doddrell, “and it i« a great pity that full use is not being made of them. More than simply quality of the exhibit is needed to impress tho public who attend such shows. Unconsciously, no doubt, they are influenced by tho size of the stall representing each country—and New Zealand must expand her exhibits to gain- the recognition which her produce merits. “Still, there is no doubt about the increased popularity of N.Z. produce at Home,” /went on the speaker. “AYlion I was over there four years ago, I very rarely saw N.Z, butter on sale in any shop, hut now one -•cos it frequently displayed. Curious! v enough, too. it is often priced below the Home article. For instance. in Jersey. I. saw one shop exhibiting N.Z. butter at 1/10 per lb. while tho Jersey butter was priced at 2/10. U- was explained that very little, of tho local product was made, as. instead of pasturing the land, fhe Jersey people used it for cropping, taking a crop of potatoes and then one of tomatoes in the same season. Th© famous Jersey l-reed of cattle are. used only for I reeding purposes.” Mr. Doddrell stated that he was not at all surprised at Labor’s suc'•css in the ro n ont British elections, for the ind'cations were plain when In' was Home. Tho people wore tir-e-1 of so much unemployment and so llicv thought- that Labor should be given a chance to deal with the situation. There are many good business men in the Labor party and. even should they wish to. tliev can V) nothing drastic, for the Liberals buhl the balance of power and would r.implv need to vote with the Conservatives to end any such movement. With the throwing of thousands of working women voters into I lie campaign, there was bound to l-e a swing of the pendulum.