THE TIMES AND ITS ADVERTISEMENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12991, 4 June 1904, Page 4

THE TIMES AND ITS ADVERTISEMENTS.

• Tlio=e who, as n matter of course, imnu'diately its arrival in Now Zealand was cnnouKt'cd. subscribed for tl;c new Kncy-r-lopicilin BritMinica, in expressing their Soti>[;K'tion with their new possession, sometime* also express surprise lha!- Tim-Times clioiild wsider so many advertisements n-cclfiil.' "The work now bought, so splp.ndidly up to date," they argue, "ia its own Ijcst iwoimnoiida'ioi)." No one believe; thai more tliMi The Times, which in- all ih sdwrtiswiicnts asks only that tiie reader familiarise himself tlioumglily with tho work, and to this end offers, in the 220 pages of tho sample hook, siii'li full moans of examination as have probably never lire.i provided in Hie case of any other object offered for tale. Tho superlative merits of the Encyclopaedia Biilannica are known and ackinowlinked in every country from one end of I he" world to the other. But. rertninly no one can provo ,his fait!', in the incalculable value of the work to everybody moro clearly than The 'Times, which, in undertaking the distribution of the great Imbk at a small piioe, staked its reputalicn for foresight upiin tho success of the ontiiriviise, against tho opinion of all whose comments, oxwosied bluntly, oame to.thU: that 111© liook was too good except for the few well-' to-do persons who could afford to pay tho usual price for it. Tho hook is indeed ite own recommendation, and Tho TiniC9 sends into every homo in tho country whence' an inquiry comes a hwmw of- examination that h hotter even than a visit of inspection—although, through the courtesy of its contcniporaricJ in Auckland. Wellington, Clvristclmrch, • Dunediii, Tho Times is nble to offer this facility also. Tlw-Times is content if only all those who a'r' likely to care can be put in the way of. learning what tho Encyclopaedia liritnnnk-ii U, cmd except for .certain now consideratieiM arising from its recent completion up to date, or from its fitness to meet need* especially characteristic *of our day,; Tho Times leaves the book to advertise itself.

It is .something quite' different that The Time.? has advertised day by day', for the past month, and will continue to advertise' until tho last day—which is now close at hand.

What The Times places before t'ne public with such urgency la something that does not advertise itself—namely, tho particular plan of sale, in virtue of which alono The Times is enabled to offer. the rccontlycompleted book at a price which all can afford. What Tho Times lias to say is: "Acquaint yourself with the took now, ati. once, to-day if possible, because, tho price' and tonus you "can afford aro temporary, bcoaii£2 the price must very- socn ba more than 'doubled." Tho fact that- tho ternporaiy nature- of tho offer, and the imminent riso in price, cs,nnot be reiterated ,, ■ often enough was proved up to' tho hilt when tho offer ,'now opan in New Zealand was closed in London, and it is being provcu daily in tins country also by lotters which arrive by every mail from correspondents who--write that they are not buying-, the. book- just -now, , but that they probably will a- little.rlator. Certainly tho-c to whom it decs not inat-Ur whotl&r tfcoy pay the proMUt price,:'ni.' a hmii) cum, in' small instfilniorits, or rrioro than double _ tho_ pr-esait prico-in a lump sum, may with impunity pkasc themsolvc-s as 'to whether they will got the boo!: now or a little later on. liut th.) fact that such letters ea.u bo written shows clearly enough that while the book jimy bo loft to advertise itself, the plan of sale entailing so.groit a- rise in.so short a time is ton ungual to lie generally, realised except by constant repetition. ■ . .