THE HOUSE OF COBBE AND CO.

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 106, 7 May 1938, Page 3

THE HOUSE OF COBBE AND CO.

Celebrates Its Jubilee The House of Cobbe and Co., of Feilding, one of the oldest established commercial enterprises of the town and district, is celebrating its 50th birthday this month. Feilding was hardly out of its pioneer swaddling clothes when the foundations of the great business, now so widely known, were laid on ground which still carried the roots of the monarchs of the primeval forest out of which the town arose. The business house known to-day as John Cobbe and Coy. was originally a general storekeeping concern founded by the late Air. J. C. Thompson on the site the considerably enlarged promises now occupy. Here it made its comparatively humble debut. Its stock in trade was ironmongery, groceries, clothing, seeds, boots and generally everything required by the settlers. Subsequently the business was sold by Air. Thompson to the late Mr. Frederick Train and in 1888 there entered upon the stage of its history two young men who by their keen business methods and capacity for work were to lead tho firm on to a vigorous career. Tlieso young men were Alessrs. John Cobbe and Joseph Darragh and in tho name of Cobbe and Darragli the firm traded for many years, establishing for itself a name in the district that was to remain unchallenged and secure ] throughout the years. Eventually tho partners separated. Air. Darragli moving across Alanchester Square and taking with liim the ironmongery, groceries and hardware portion of the firm while Air. Cobbe retained the old premises and carried on in the drapery and clothing trade. Although the farmers were then, as now, practically the mainstay of Feilding business a good deal of trade was done with the men engaged in the bushfelling and roadmakiug which was being carried on in tho district. These men naturally gravitated to Feilding which was the only shopping place for miles around and their wages money provided an indispensable portion of the liquid capital which was so urgently needed. A considerable mail order business was built up in the store and this with the steady local growth, gradually brought about extensions both in the property and in the number of hands employed. In fact it may 1)0 said that with tho prosperity of tho district assured through the increased prices farmers were getting for their produce, plus the development of the town bringing increasing employment, the firm of John Cobbe and Coy., went fwm one successful year to another. Alwaj'S rigidly adhering to the principles of value and quality and “a square deal,” the firm’s name and influence covered a wide area of country and it is well within the memory of many local residents to-day that tho large booklet issued every year by John Cobbe and Coy. detailing the‘bargains in every department at the annual sale was an event to be waited for. Sale devotees from adjacent centres made their, at least, annual visit to Feilding on these occasions, many coming from the larger and more advanced centre of Palmerston North. Larger and larger grew the shop and the staff until before the War it required the present commodious premises and a staff of over 70 hands to deal with the business.

It would not be inopportune at this point to mention that comfort and consideration for tho members of the staff was always a salient feature of the policy of Cobbe’s and there are many ex-members in Feilding to this day who have appreciative recollections of some kindness shown them by Air. Cobbe and his departmental heads. At the end of 1919 the company at present in control bought the stock ot' Cobbe and Co. and took over a long lease of the premises, the arrangement being that the firm would be carried on under the title of John Cobbe and Coy. Thus after a long life in me business community of the town Mr. Cobbe retired from the premises and the firm he had been so intimately connected with for 31 years, and his tribute to-day to those people whose support had brought about the progress of tho business is that Feilding was fortunate in the type of settler who peopled it. They worked hard, lived plainly and paid their debts and it is significant that although when Air. Cobbe retired from business, accounts owing to him totalled many thousands of pounds, the sum total of the bad debts did not reach one per cent., a record that not many places in New Zealand could better. Tho first manager under the control ut - the new firm was Mr. C. S. Jeffs, a gontleman whose iuherent courtesy and genial manner rapidly caused him to become a popular figure in tho towu. Under his capable management new ideas in the business world were introduced to keep the firm in its promier place in the town aod district but there was not a fraction of a deviation from the same principles of straightforward dealing with the public which had always been a keynote of the firm's activities. As with other towns Feilding underwent a change, one generation, passed and auother took its place but safe on its pinnacle of public trust and reliance John Cobbe and Coy. continued its onward march. The disastrous days of the slump period did nothing to dim the lustre of the firm—it came through those fears with its policy unimpaired and its progress unbroken. In 1936, after 17 years’ management Air. Jeffs relinquished control of the firm and, proceeded, to. Ms

mantle falling on Air. H, T. Siminonds, of Feilding, who prior to this had been manager of the men’s wear department of the firm. With youth and keenness on his side, plus the advantage of having served for years under the expert eye of Air. Jeffs, the appointment of Air. Simmonds as manager w*as recognised as a tribute from his superiors to his ability. Courteous to a degree, at pains to assist and in every way upholding the reputation of the firm, Air. Simmonds has behind him a staff whose loyalty to the firm is unquestioned and whose one aim is to give satisfaction to the customers. This in itself offers the explanation of the fact that among tho firm’s valued clients to-day are descendants of the pioneer settlers of Feilding who from the day the original store was opened have made the store of John Cobbe and Coy. their shopping centre. So in calm and pleasurable reflection of 50 years’ progress John Cobbe and Coy. to-day celebrated their jubilee and in doing so scan the next 50 years beckoning ahead. What it will hold noono knows but this is suro that just as the period 1888—1938 brought vast changes, so will the next five decades. Things have changed and will change, both in people and habits. That will mean change of markets, products and of uses of products. It will mean new buying methods, new selling methods, now household methods, and perhaps, now distribution methods but just as they have kept abreast of the tide of changing events in the 50 years nowpast, so the firm of John Cobbe and Coy. will confidently meet tha changes of the future and live up to their motto of “On the Square.”