NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21520, 17 June 1933, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE

CAMPAIGNS IN ENGLAND % P FINE NEWCASTLE EFFORT VALUABLE PUBLICITY 'WORK [from otjr own correspondent! LONDON, May 16 New Zealand's series of produce-sell-ing campaigns in the North of England was concluded at Newcastle last Saturday. The activities at Newcastle were extended beyond the usual week to a fortnight's concentrated effort. Gateshead, a suburb of 200,000 people, a population slightly in excess of Newcastle itself, was included in the area covered.. The campaign, opened on April 29 but prior to that two canvassers from the Dairy Board and the Meat Board's outside representative were busy among retailers respectively of butter and cheese, lamb and mutton. The Fruit Board, also, was well represented in shop-to-shop work, especially in the distribution of its new and attractive window display material. Honey, unfortunately, because of the suspension of advertising expenditure, was not represented in the same degree, Special pages, each containing from two to three columns of reading matter, were produced in the Newcastle Journal, Evening Chronicle and the North Mail. The reading matter comprised a special appeal by the High Commissioner, and articles telling of New Zealand's extensive purchases of shipping, hydro-electric material, railway locomotives, etc., from the Tyne area, and asking for more adequate return trade in the substitution of NewZealand produce for that from foreign sources. The Tyneside obtains its butter chiefly from Denmark. Press publicity, however, was by no means confined to the special pages, for a number of short articles and photographs relating to the campaign were published. In the course of the first week a lecture on New Zealand was delivered to a crowded attendance by the High Commissioner's publicity officer, Mr. H. T. B. Drew. Large posters calling attention to the campaign were displayed on 130 selected hoardings. Exhibition, Shop An exhibition shop was opened in a prominent street. This acted as the centre-piece of the effort, to which people were directed, to test the quality of New Zealand produce by obtaining small samples. Most of the days the shop was practically full of people, and a very large number of samples of butter, cheese, apples, honey and lamb's tongues were sold. In addition to produce the shop contained an attractive tourist display and scenic features intended to interest visitors. The Deputv-Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Mr. Angus Watson, visited the exhibition, and was photographed, the photograph and some complimentary remarks which he made regarding Zealand and her produce being published in the local press. The outstanding event of the campaign was in the Friday evening of the second week, when the prizes won in the window-dressing competitions were presented. In the Dairy Board s competition 162 entries were received and in the Meat Board's 60. Mr. H. E. Davis, London manager of the Dairy Boartf, and Mr. R. S. Forsyth, iNew. Zealand Meat Board, had sent out invitations to all the competitors to attend the prize-giving, the object being to obtain the best contact possible with the traders who had thus interested themselves in New Zealand goods, fro large an entrv in the competitions had meant that over 200 shops had specially displayed New Zealand produce and advertising material. The Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Dr. Leech, M.P., presented the prizes. Over 200 were present at the function, which was held m the banqueting hall of the leading hotel. Mr. W. A. lorns, chairman of the New Zealand Dairy Board, presided, and had with him the managers of the Meat and Dairy Boards. The Lord Mayor made a remarkably strong appeal to the shopkeepers of the Tyneside to sell New Zealand produce, and to the housewives to substitute it for that from foreign countries. He emphasised the quality of New Zealand produce, but dwelt particularly on the purchases which the Dominion made from Britain, and especially from their own locality. He urged that if more New Zealand produce were bought the Dominion would be able to spend more with them. He also spoke of the ties of kinship Newcastle had made with the Dominion. The Mayor of Gateshead spoke iQ similar strain. Address by Mr. lorns Mr. lorns, in thanking both civio dignitaries, gave some interesting details regarding New Zealand produce, telling of its quality, the great quantities exported, and the position which the Dominion held in world trade, and especially with the Mother Country. New Zealand, he said, was a better customer to Britain than most of. the European countries, and its purchases were entirely of manufactures. If that trade was to continue or expand New Zealand must sell its produce to advantage in Great Britain. Since the war New Zealand had spent £23,000,000 on new ships, most of which had ben expended at the Tyneside. There was also the Wellington floating dock, involving • nearly £900,000, and much machinery, railway material, steel ropes, etc. It was recognised, said Mr. lorns, that Britain must increase her foreign trade by new agreements, but the past also should not be forgotten, and tna fact that in the last five years New Zealand's purchases of British manufactures had exceeded those of Denmark by over £30,000,000 —even though that; country had sold to Britain a great deal more than New Zealand Italso well to remember that New Zealand produce was produced bv British people, shipped in British ships manned by British sailors. That f rolT | foreign countries was not. He urged the shopkeepers present to push our goods.