EMPIRE GOODS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 January 1932, Page 6

EMPIRE GOODS

MORE BEING SOLD. (From a Correspondent.) LONDON, Nov. 25. Empire buying is spreading like a wave over Britain as a result of the “Buy British ’ campaign launched last week. This is no mere vague and specious statement. Yesterday I made a tour of a dozen shops, big and little, in London to lind out whether people are really asking more for Empire goods. Here are some of the responses:

The manager of one of the biggest wholesalers in Cove.it Gardens reported a definite increase in demand for Empire fruit, not only from London, but from the Priov'.nces. The buyer of a big store in City of London, who has always, previously, had foreign grape-furit, placed a preliminary order for 75 cases of Empire grapefruit and said that the change over would lie permanent. TOP PRICE APPLES Empire apples are so much in demand that the price has gone up. This does not mean that the consumer will have to pay more, it means that Empire apples ousted the foreign from top place on the market. " Yesterday the manager was told by members of three firms that they ueie having difficulty in disposing of their foreign stocks, but that orders were pouring in for Empire fruit because housewives insisted on having it. From Covent Gardens I went on to a high class grocer and provision merchant in Kensington. “My firm is selling £25,000 more Empire goods than it was three years ago,” the manager told me. “There has been a definite 1 in the last few weeks. T should say that ten times as many new customers now ask specifically for Empire goods as did so a few weeks ago.” AIR. J. H. THOMAS STARTS A TRAIN. Mr J. H. Thomas, Secretary of State for the Dominions opened the second week of the “Buy British campaign by starting the CoinishRiviera. Express one of the “star” trains in Britain, off from Paddington Station with a green guard’s flag. The train was decorated from head to tail with* posters. The front of the engine canned a big shield bearing the “Buy British” slogan in huge letters, and there were posters on every window and in every carriage. In the restaurant car a special Empire luncheon was served.

Mjr Thomas nvas reminded of Ins a dgaggr„.<T4icL.fireman on the same line —the Great "Western when lie climbed on to the footplate of the engine, King George V, to urge the crowd to “Buy British.” Tim engine driver was an old acquaintance of h:s railway days. King George V had been specially chosen for the trip. The most powerful passenger locomotive in Britain, it was selected, a few years ago, to go to the United States to represent the British railways on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. Tt broke all the records it was allowed to, and is now the only engine in Britain to carry a hell on its front, such as is worn by all American trains. Notv it is carrying the “Buy British” message down to the West Country. In the tram were huge caskets of Empire fruit and hampers of produce from every Empire country which had been sent by the Lady Mayoress of London to he presented to the Lord Mayors of Exeter and Plymouth, down the line. A TEN TON PUDDING. The Prince of Wales’ ten-ton pudding for the unemployed is being made entirely out of Empire products, from Australia n raisins to home-brewed beer. Thousands of ordinary housewives are following this example. “Nine out ten of my customers are asking for Empire ingredients for their puddings,” a leading provision merchant and grocer said. He also told me that, in every previous year, foreign eggs have been stocked and about 30,000 to 35,000 have been sold every week. Ibis winter Australian and South African eggs are being stocked, and only two cases ol foreign eggs were bought. r l hose have been .in stock for two weeks, and only 100 eggs have been sold. DISPLAYS OF FIVE STORES. These are only a few extracts Irom a story which is being told evertwhere. ’ Many of the big stores have special Empire displays in their provision and groceries sections. In fact, all five of the leading stores which I visited had such displays.

The campaign is going to nm until Clinistinas. Posters are being kept up on all the buses, trams and uiidciground trains which arc now displaying them everywhere. Free sfG's have been given on hoardings throughout tli country, and pracitically every branch of the “Big Five” Ranks is now displaying posters. The biggest sign in Britain, tbe giant “Buy British” which flashes its electric message from the wall near the new site ol South Africa House, is illuminating Trafalgar Square. A film of the Prime Minister and Mr George Lansbur.v, leader of the Opposition, urging people to think ol the Empire in “An Appeal to the Nation i s being shown in almost every cinema in Britain. It was the only film which received applause at a h : g West End einefua l went to last night.