SELLING OUR WARES.

Northern Advocate, 12 January 1912, Page 3

SELLING OUR WARES.

THE ROUBAIX EXHIBITION

VIEWS OF A COMMISSIONER.

• The Vice-Commissioner for New Zealand at the Roubaix Exhibition, M. Lucien Nopenaire, of Tourcoiny (France), is at present in Wellington to attend the wool sales. M. Nopenaire is most enthusiastic on the topic of the advertising benefit to New Zealand of our display at the great exhibition. Our working refrigerator and model pold meat store, for instance, was the first to be exhibited! >n France. Within fourteen days of its establishment the Argentine took steps to be similarly represented. But, said M. Nopenaire recently, the Argentine was less fortunate than New Zealand, or her' arrangements were not so carefully carried out. The New Zealand! carcases of sheep, lamb, and beef and quantities of small goods, rabbits, etc., were sent principally by sea from London with a minimum amount of delay, and the exhibit arrived at Roubaix in excellent condition. The Argentine exhibit was sent via Dunkirk (France), being placed for transit across France in an insulated railway waggon. This unusual rolling stock excited the curiosity of the railway men, who, several times en route, must have opened the door to make inspection. The result was that When the meat arrived at its destination and was placed in the exhibition refrigerator, black marks had appeared, and flowers and green decorations had to be placed over them to hide them. All of which, of course, was to the benefit of the New Zealand exhibit. In size the New Zealand court was four times as large as that of its South American competitor. We had a fine display of wool, but M. Nopenaire suggests that on future

occasions more attention should be given to the condition in which it is shown. Many inquiries during the ex-1 hibition were made by French manufacturers regarding our wool. This was also the case with our meat. M. Nopenaire says he feels sure that before long France will be importing New Zealand frozen meat. Sir William Hall-Jones is displaying much energy and enterprise in the matter. France has a prohibition in operation against the importation of any foreign meat. But there seems to be every likelihood of this barrier being removed. The prices in France are exceptionally high. In the villages and amongst the lower middle classes in the cities, meat is a delicacy for one day a week. "In England New Zealand mutton brings 6d per lb," said M. Nopenaire, "but in France the same class of meat sells at Is 6d a lb. Larub in London brings 8d a lb; in France Is Bd. I specially made inquiries and obtained these figures myself for the information of New Zealandsrs." Sir W. Hall-Jones, he continued, never lost any opportunity of bringing New Zealand to the front. The display of meat, when the exhibition ended, was given to charitable institutions in Roubaix. A New Zealand dinner was to have been held, at which New Zealand produce was to comprise che menu, but the principal guest, th<~French Minister for Agriculture, could Lot attend and the event was abandoned. M. Nopenaire is now bringing before the notice of New Zealand an important exhibition that is to be held in Ghent, Belgium, in 1913.

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