APPAREL FOR WOMEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20678, 25 September 1930, Page 12

APPAREL FOR WOMEN.

LOCAL ARTICLES NEGLECTED.

LURE OF PARIS FASHIONS.

" PANDERING TO SNOBBERY." , MAKING FOREIGNERS RICH. A chargo that Now Zealanders are ashamed of goods manufactured in. their own country was mado by Miss Ellon Melville during a lecture given before the Manufacturers' Association at the Hall of Industries last evening. Factory managers had told her, sho said, that, they dared not put the mark, " Made in New Zealand," on locally-made clothes, hats, boots and toothbrushes because people would not buy thom and " it would ruin their business." " Wo have an extraordinary inferiority complex as regards our own goods," said Miss Melvillo. "It was only by accident that I learned that hats for women were mado in New Zealand. They have no mark on them to show where they are made and when I asked one manager why not, he said, 'if wo did the women would not buy them." " .

Now Zealard-mado hats were better for New Zealand womon, sho addod, because the New Zealand-shaped head was different from the English or tho Latin. " New Zealanders are broader betwoen the ears than the British," said Miss Melville. " That is where tho brains aro, and also the swell-headodness. Imported hats do not fit us because our heads are different, but in recent years wo -have noticed an improvement becauso now hats are being made in New Zealand. " More Money than Sense." " I was in a dress factory in Wellington tho other day where they were making some of the most beautiful dresses that anyone could ever wear. The material was bought in bulk and only a small duty was paid and they were being mado up by healthy, intelligent New Zealand girls instead of by French, German or CzechoSlovakian girls, yet I am told that New Zealand women will not buy these dresses. If that is not carrying inferiority complex to imbecility complex I do not know what is. It is pandering to the snobbery of fashionable women who havo more money than sense.

" The first time I saw women's hats say out loudly that they wero mado in New Zealand was in a Paeroa shop and they wero vory pretty hats. I havo no doubt that thousands of tho spring hats in Queen Streot shop windows are made in New Zealand, although thoy do not say so." . • People were .told that Paris was the centre of the fashion world and tried to deludo themselves that they followed Paris fashions and that tho smart women of New Zealand wore Paris gowns. Smart wpmen did nothing of the sort. While they might look for inspiration to Paris they rarely copied slavishly, but adapted the models to suit their own national type. Choice in Silk Stockings.

" There are thousands of pairs of artificial silk and woollen stockings made in New Zealand but you never see them proclaiming thqjr history and pedigree, added Miss Melville. " You can get better value for your money in New Zealandmade stockings than in any others. You can get New Zealand-made pure silk stockings for 8s lid and it is one of the hardest-wearing stockings I know. The duty on silk stockings is 2s 6d to 3s 9d a pair and you cannot darn a customs duty. • i' I know they do not make full-fashion stockings in New Zealand," added Miss Melville. "That is becauso.it is not economical to instal the necessary machinery. Then you hear people say, ' I must wear a full-fashion stocking.' You will forgivo me for saying that it is not tho shapo. of the stocking that matters but the shape of the leg it. All that talk about full-fashion is just a gag."

Toothbrushes and Jams. New Zealand jams were next dealt with by Miss Melville. " A lady once told me that the reason why people buy South African jams is because there are preservatives in New Zealand jams," sho said. " Now, anyone who goes through a jam factory will tell you that the only preservative in New Zealand jams is A 1 sugar from Chelsea. Is it worth whilo going to America for nice coloured jams and condiments and see 150 to 200 New Zealand girls out of work in. the winter. It is too big a price for a bottle of pickles." Miss Melville said she recently bought a toothbrush marked " British Made." She asked the shopkeeper -" Where?" and he replied, " Can't you see it says ' Brit« ish Made '?" " Yes, but what country she asked. " Oh, as a matter of fact, it is mado in Auckland," ho replied. "They. are. not afraid to mark the country of origin on Japanese toothbrushes," said Miss Melville. "In Japan child labour law,3 do not exist. Japanese children of 11 aud 12 years of . ago work 10 to .11 hours a night, not day." For overseas purchases of apparel and ready-made clothing in 1928 New Zealand paid £BO,OOO to the United States, £25,000 to Japan, £128,556 to Germany,; £20,000 to Belgium, £11,600 to Czecho-Slovakia, and £114,700 to France. " And then wo ask why New Zealand girls are out of work," was Miss Melville's comment. " Wo' are making those foreign countries rich at our expense. Are we not liypo.crites running round and asking why we have so much unemployment ? '