Display of N.Z. Apples in London

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 105, 5 May 1937, Page 9

Display of N.Z. Apples in London

MRS. JORDAN OPENS SEASON LONDON, April 16. It has been the custom for some years to inaugurate each new season for New Zealand apples in London with a display and an appropriate ceremony at New Zealand House. Publicity is aimed at in the British Press chiefly by photos, because there is not much that is new that can be said year after year about New Zealand apples. Photographs sent to New Zealand will give a good idea of the originality of the display this year in the front hall of New Zealand -House. The central feature, a father and son seated on a table holding apples— •** Regular Pals” —is a painted eightfoot enlargements of the New Zea land Fruit Board’s chief poster. The function has been overwhelmingly voted by New Zealanders the best ever held. Mrs Jordan performed the opening ceremony, and did it most successfully and gracefully. Nearly two hundred New Zealanders and representative fruit dealers were present, the largest attendance on record, and the limited accommodation the front hall of New Zealand House provides, even ] when the newspaper files are stacked away elsewhere, was crowded. Among , those present wero Lord Bledisioe ' (Lady Bledisioe was indisposed and un- | able to attend), Lady Hewitt and Mr j Justice Blair. Tho Walter Nash aad i Mrs Nash were associated in the cere- j mony with the High Commissioner and . Mrs Jordan and Mr 11. Turner, London J manager of tho New Zealand Fruit Board. Tho High Commissioner, after a happy greeting to New Zealanders, ex- , pressing also his pleasure at tho large attendance, asked Lord Bledisioe to . speak. His Lordship urged New Zealand to maintain the high quality of her produce because, having tho best foodstuffs in the world at her disposal in the shops, tho British housewife would naturally buy the best she could get for her money. To-day New Zealand undoubtedly was sending the best. (Applause). Mr Jordan remarked that the goods supplied to Lord Bledisioe’s household were of such a New Zealand character that his Lordship was always “very full of this subject.” (Laughter and applause). He called on Mr Nash, Minister of Marketing. Air Nash said it was like home to see around him so many New Zealand faces. He paid a tribute to those responsible under the High Commissioner for tho splendid display before them. (Applause.) So far as apples wero concerned, if “an apple a day” was to be a slogan with practical application in Britain, twice the present supply from all sources would be necessary if every person was to get one a day. He agreed that our produce must bo the best if we expected British housewives to favour it. He said that Mr Turner, tho Fruit Board’s Loudon representative, was doing excellent work in Britain for apples, and in respect to all produce Air Jordan had his job to do at this end, and he was sure he would do it well. (Applause.) At the invitation of Air Turner, Airs Jordan then, declared New Zealand’s 1937 fruit season in London open. In a brief speech which greatly pleased all New Zealanders, especially in its happy delivery, Alls Jordan expressed her ; pleasure at being asked to perform this - ceremony. She said that after having seen in New Zealand tho various stages of apple growing, fruit ripening, the grading, packing and loading into the ships, it was particularly interesting now to her to have acquaintance with the marketing side and to be able to help in advertising tho fruit on the London market.

►She then, amidst applause, declared the 1937 New Zealand apple season m London duly inaugurated, and sho herself was tho recipient, from Mr Turner, of a large decorated basket of Cox Orange Pippins. Alost of those present from their way to the High Commissioner’s room, whqr© morning tea was dispensed.