The Hawera Star. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1927. BUYING WITHIN THE EMPIRE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 23 November 1927, Page 6

The Hawera Star.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1927. BUYING WITHIN THE EMPIRE.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’clock in Ilawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham. Mangatoki, Kaponga, Alton, Hurley ville, Patea, Waverley, Mokoia, AVhakamara, Ohangat, Meremere. Fraser Road and Ararata

It was particularly appropriate that Mrs Am cry, wife of the Secretary of State for the Dominions, should be invited to communicate through the Press her own ideas on “trade within the Empire,” as happened in Auckland. Her message introduces an aspect of the question to which wc in New Zealand have perhaps not paid sufficient attention—the gaining of the interest, of the women of the Empire in its products. Much has been done here to make the people “think Imperially,” but it lias to be admitted that the housewife has not always occupied that place in the thoughts of the propagandists that her importance warrants. Mr Amery himsels does not- under-rate.the important influence that the housewife brings to bear upon trade, for he specifically mentioned in his speech at Auckland yesterday the necessity for gaining the sympathy of the women of the Empire with any movement which, has as its object, the fostering of trade between the various countries of the British Commonwealth. Mrs Amery, in the interview which she granted to the Press, enlarged upon this theme and the report she had to make regarding the headway that Empire trade propaganda is making in England was very encouraging. She stated that the women of England who were now “thinking Imperially and buying Imperially” were not confined to any one class; the work of the Empire Marketing Board was

receiving the whole-hearted support of

the women throughout the country. The Board had pushed its propaganda out into the shops of the rural districts and had created a feeling in favour of foodstuffs and other goods which are produced within the Empire. This statement should leave a useful thought in the minds of the trade patriots, commercial men and publicity people in this Dominion. Too often, when we think about Empire trade wc do so in what may be called men’s terms. Wo think of motor cars and machinery and we overlook the smaller products which are in use on the table every day. But it is those self-same small products of the Empire, or of other countries, which give the housewife so much concern when she is preparing her weekly budget, and it will take more than glowing speeches by menfolk at dinners which she does not .attend to convince the housewife that there is a duty towards her country and her fellow Britishers lying so close to hand for her to perform. An appeal to sentiment alone will not achieve the desired result, despite what some people affect to believe about the reasoning of women. The producers of goods who wish t-o expand their trade in the Dominions or at Home have to remember that it is true of the housewife, as the Secretary of State for the Dominions has said it is true of the British people generally: The British purchaser will not buy a bad article at a good price. In other words, the value has to be there. The, manufacturer who can establish his claim to equality with the foreign article has to do more than depend upon the quality of his wares “getting him there.” He has to convince the prospective purchaser that, given equal value for the money, he or she should purchase his product from a sense of duty. The prospective buyers can be made to see the force of the argument through various mediums. For some it will be sufficient to remind them what our Empire is, how it has grown and what, are its prospects for the future; to impress others it will be necessary to show the more personal side of the picture and impress upon them that the primary products which come from New Zealand, and the manufactured goods which come here from the Mother Country, are the result of the labour of one great family which is interdependent. It is not too late to drive this argument homfe with the adult generation, but we must not allow the buyers of to-day to believe that though the sentiment may be good, their own small contributions do not count. Nor will it suffice to concentrate all efforts in this direction upon the menfolk. It may be true in some spheres of life that women have only influence and no power, but that is not true when it comes to the expenditure of sums of money, so vast in the aggregate, upon the dailv necessities of life.