ADVERTISING NEW ZEALAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18763, 17 January 1923, Page 3

ADVERTISING NEW ZEALAND

A GANADJAN’S VSEWS. THE TORONTO EXHIBIT!! >X. BEPHE.SEXTATIOX .KEUOMM EX DEI). Mr J. P. Murray, of Toronto, iiu a-so-eiato director of llio National Cumuli.in Exhibition, is al present mi a visit U> Xow Zealand, and fell Dunedin lm the south yesterday iiiofiinii; after a short stay here. Mr MiiiTay, vi'ho v, as ii carpet mamtlaclurer on a largo scale, retired limn business sumo 11 y«;u,r» ago. ■'Xu otfort is taring made to advertise Xow Zealand outside Xow Zealand," raid Mr Murray in the euurse oi an interview with a Daily times reporter. "In tlio J.ondon Chamber of Commerce Journal, which circulates among every Board of Trade and every similar nisiitmion throughout tlio .British Empire. very little leteienee is made to Xow Zealand commerce. Or; asionally there is a small tuiverli'Cmcul.- generally incorporated wita an Australian advertisement,-and thou it nearly always infers to some ships that have led, or something like that. Bin tile productiveness ot your country, yonr manuiacUircs. your scenery, and your clnnalc are hardly known to the r.mpiie outside Australasia. And wiio is lo Inamc ter tt Is it not your own Chamber m Commeree, your own public institutions ol lliai kind .Mr Murray then (old the story of a young .New Zeakunder who letinncd to tlic." home of his parents in Scotland, where he met an old I need who was interested in one of the large schools there, and lie was asked to address tlio school. lie told the children about Xcw Zealand, and then it occurred to him to impure if they knew whore Xew Zealand was. iJe wa,- astonished to find them all gazing opon-moutneU at him. hut al. last a small boy in the Irene of the class held up- his hand. •’Please, sir," lie said, "it s a wee bit place at the fill o' the map.” Another person at Homo, on gazing at Xew Zealand on the map of tbo world, is reported lo have asked : •‘Bui what do they do when the tide comes in •‘Xew Zealand should establish in time a building on the grounds of the National Canadian Exhibition which is hold annually in Toronto,’' said Mr Murray, This great enterprise, which is situated on u situ oi over 4biJ antes, comprises large buildings and every requirement, for building purposes. The exhibition itself is held al the end ol August, and throughout the year sectional exhibitions and other activities take place in furtherance of the object of the management. ‘‘lt would not, he necessary to meet the building at the very start,” said Mr Murray; "the exhibits could first be displayed on a space of about 20.000 or SO.OCOft of ground. On it you could advertise your scenery, and place on view libraries of your woods., specimens of your vegetable products, and samples of your Xcw Zealand wool. The display could he kept open all the year round, and visitors to Toronto would then be given an opportunity ot seeing vvhul. Xow Zealand produces.' 1 •‘And I do not think,” added Mr Murray, "‘that they are likely to miss the opportunity. At: the end of two or tluce years it would he apparent whether the .scheme was worth while or not., and then would he the time to deeide on the question of erecting a building I have spoken to -Mr Massey on the matter, and ho has agreed to support the proposal as far as he can. •‘1 also spoke to Air Massey regarding the advisability of appointing a proper representative or trade agent in Canada, and he did not disagree with the suggestion. In my opinion ’Toronto would ho the best place for such a representative lo carry out itis business.”

In mentioning that Xew Zealand should go further into the matter of reciprocal trade with Canada, Mr Murray said ; ”1 am not trying to unload Canadian goods on to X'evv Zealand. I would remind yon that your country is two-fifths short in return trade with Canada, unci vve want to buy (hose goods from you. but you are not giving ns tlio chance. Yon are paying for your goods in cash, not in kind, and it is in the latter way that- wo. desire payment.

‘‘At tlio same time. I would advise you to develop as fur as possible your own industries. Then you employ your own labour and capital, and even though the cost of production is a little higher than the price of the imported goods, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you are not. paying the profits of producers in outside companies You might think from this that I am not speaking in (he interests of Canada. I do not desire to speak in the interests of any particular place -I am for the Union Jack, the Empire as a w hole.”

A complaint, against, the treatment, of tourists at Xew Zealand hotels was voiced by Mr Murray. 'AVe hear.” he said, ‘'of delicious Xcw Zealand fruits, and I am just, longing to taMe them, let I have not yet had the opportunity. Xor have other' that I have travelled with. We cannot find words to express our appreciation of your wonderful scenery, the grandeur of your institutions. and considering the population, your wonderful cities, hut ve are not, given an opportunity of conveying to the outside world our appreciation of your delicious food products, ns vve are constantly served with slopped food. And look at this !” Mr M array directed (he reporter's attention to a worn out carpet on the door of his bedroom in one of the leading hotels of the city.