GERMAN-MADE GOODS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19136, 30 September 1925, Page 12

GERMAN-MADE GOODS.

REGAINING PRE-WAR MARKETS.

AUCKLAND SHOPS INVADED. AGENTS' ACTIVE CANVASSING. BRITISH ARTICLES UNDERSOLD. The familiar words, "Made in Germany," which were terms of magic import in the days boforo the war, aro Once ihore coming into common usage in Auckiiindt shops and warehouses. 'For over 'ten vears the phrase has been shunned ;ind avoided. To-day it is openly flaunted on tine counters of Queen Street shops, and is oven chanted by shop assistants as a recommendation and an extra inducement to buy. The fact is that during the last 12 months New Zealand, in company with other Dominions, has been the scene of a determined trade "push" launched •» by tho German manufacturers, and almost every wholesale house <n Auckland has been approached by English or New Zealand representatives of German manufacturing firms. Intrigued by the extreme attractiveness of many of tho lines, and tempted by iho extraordinarily easy prices, importers have, in the main, thrcWn scruples to the wind in almost every case where they have seen certain profit and have bought up German goods that, amount in volume from J, per cent, to 10 and 15 per cent, of tho total stocks they carry. Even tho most patriotic appear to be only human. "We treat German inquiries for business all alike,'' declared the general manager of a leading firm of importers yesterday. "Wo have a special stamp and return all communications through the post marked 'Remember the Lusitania, Captain Fryatt, and Nurse Cavidl.'," The next minute ho was pointing to row after row of German-road# , articles aborning his sample tables, , Toys and Musical lastroiaenia.

■■ . -i '> >' i.i ;v, r • :> Growirigi dominance of the local market is being obtained by Germany in the matter of toys, small musical instruments and clocks.; The German toy industry appears to have almost recovered iU world-famed atatai. and local shops ara fairly well stocked i with the, German articles, are said to lose littlo to English toys* in ■ wommanship and quality, censidmog the fact that they are nearly half the prico. Musical instruments, too, appear to have- practically regained the prjority _m the local market ihey enjoyed before the war. This applies sefoy to the small kind-j, such as mouth-organs and accordeons, which, are imported at a price that has practically killed the JapaiiflSG trade thai grew up-as, a recnlt of German commercial annihilation druing the war. The cheapnesaijof German musical instruments, however, does not apply,.£•» pianos, which, sttsnngo; to sayjjjare -among; ina veryiew G«rman manufactures. that'are. A 0 gun their, former., favquf, m i\ev; K^aland. A cas® quoted tajone wpwtw u of au instrument, of good commer&al quality that does not sell for less than £320, compared with a very similar Englwhpiano that sells #t< £#> or, £95." The prices of German pianos., have been Increasing for months past. • , As for German clocks, some extremely attradihe-samples aro tq >e . seen, in 'Auckland. Clock-maKing has. lenx been « craft in Bavar.a, and .German agenW' for one or t'«o wel)-known i firms have been very active in . Aacklaod lately. chiming, clocks we purchasable from the mannfactarei- .for £8 and grandfather clocks for £ls and £2O. English grandfather clocks of similar type are priced at £7O and £BO. Hardware and Fancy Gobdai Hardware has been coming m from Germany .in • ; aluminum goods arfd carpentersV and ; gardeners' tools. Prices ar ; s about 26 per cent! beldw those . for iimilftr Briti&h gt)ods." Cblnaware is to be ;';sw<ra in 'smaller .quantities; but Knives and scisiore m fair numsjers, all under-selling ~ the el d ■, : .'article and apparently of good quality'. In fancy goodsv'Germaii''fi4lesmeh : li3iVe "been viiy active,-iin'd of all manual; 'of: godds aW£e: : bo i'eeti in the shops * warehouses; Kof : all -D'aaV ' the Made in Germany '* im.grin't, : bdt''the country : of origin in snch cases ia : often betrayed by shabby" qiiaiity and workmanship., In'the betterclass'of' goods the coiiiitry, and in many cases the name of the manufacturing firm, is plainly stated. Ladies' leather bags, celluloid articles land curiosities and polished 'woodwork are by no means rarities, while perfumes, ranging in price from a few pence to 30s a of two bottles, and.some erqcdntely crnainented electro-plated wark beai' favourable comparison with British goods of a Rorreaporidina character;, i.- .. JScientifio instruments are" also finding thr.ir way .-bac-i to faviwr. An effort is l . being- made to supply ths dealers in wireless apparatus and certain lines are already w, stock .Thei«6,. besides being ofv excellent: workmanship, possess the i greati commercial ivirftte of beipg approximately 100 per cent, cheaper than, the English and American 'article. It seems clear . Jjfpm. Auckland experi«nco that .those German - who possess, the , knowledge] plant and skilled workmen: necessary ] to produce artililes ' of worlds wide.;,acceptance are ifeaving no difficulty in 'taking advantage ■of low-living conditions in their own country to make a bold, bid for British and other world markefs, and the existduf,ie£ in New Zealand haro so far acted badly as a barrier. In most dasses of th«> duty on imports isper cent., On German and other foreign gopds it amounts fo 35 per cent., a 15 per cent, difference. ■'■■■—LJ&SSSgJLd-