MADE IN NEW ZEALAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19551, 6 August 1925, Page 8

MADE IN NEW ZEALAND.

Natch alia" enough a leading theme of discussion at the annual meeting of the Dunedin Manufacturers’ Association was the position occupied by New Zealand made goods in the estimate of the purchasing public. The New Zealand manufacturer is not yet satisfied that he is receiving quite his due recognition among his own people for his industrial enterprise, or that bis goods are regarded even impartially.and purchased or passed over in accordance with a dispassionate assessment of their merits. In the course of his interesting address on Tuesday evening the president of the Dunedin Association observed that the prejudice against locally made goods was rather astonishing in view of the fact that the goods turned out compared more than favourably with the best from anywhere. The testimonial to the New Zealand made article embodied in that statement is certainly a flattering one and it may not be endorsed without reservations by the purchasing public. Apart from that, however, it is apparently not to be gainsaid that, for one reason or another, a certain prejudice does obtain among the people of New Zealand as a whole against the products of their own secondary industries. Perhaps this attitude represents a survival of a disposition that was understandable in the days when the New Zealand manufacturer was only feeling his way, so to speak, and no parallel existed between the claim that could then be made in behalf of his products and that which can now be reasonably urged. In any case, to whatever cause it may be attributable, the existence of an unwarranted prejudice, such as still seemingly obtains, against goods manufactured in New Zealand is fairly pointed to by the manufacturers as a handicap to their operations of which the elimination is desirable. It can be reasonably argued that the influence exerted by such a prejudice is not in the interests of the people themselves. The position would be a sorry one were it possible to say with truth, in reference to New Zealand, that the manufacturer, like the prophet, has no honour in his own country. The secondary' industries are becoming, of course, a very important factor in the progress and development of the dominion, and it is in the general interest that they should enjoy enlargement and prosperity. So far from a prejudice existing against New Zealand made goods it is not too much to expect that the reverse feeling should obtain. If the description “made in Otago” is calculated to make a special appeal to the people of Otago, so the description “made in New Zealand” should make some definite appeal to the people of the dominion as a whole. There is no occasion to labour the theme, but it is a reasonable proposition that, always provided that in respect of price and quality the Now Zealand made article holds its own with the imported article, preference should be accorded it. On

the measure of the support extended the secondary industries of the country through the absorption of their products depends their demand for labour for the factories and workshops of the country. The maintenance of that demand for workers is a factor of importance to the dominion, and affects its capacity to provide employment for new arrivals and generally to support an increased population. Figures cited by the president of the Dunedin Manufacturers’ Association at the annual meeting convey the information that last year the factories of the dominion paid wages to the extent of over fourteen and a-half million pounds to over 77,000 employees, aud that their products were valued at nearly £77,000,000. Fifteen years ago the value in products was less than half the amount involved last year, and the wages bill amounted to £6,591,270. In 1921-32 the value of products was £67,146,269, and wages amounted to £11,519,975. These figures are indicative of steady progress in the manufacturing industry measured by the usual standards, and no doubt the degree of progress would have been greater had there been wider recognition throughout the dominion of the claims and merits of New Zealand-made goods. On behalf of the Department of Industries and Commerce, Mr W. J. Collins has not hesitated to say that the slogan “Buy New Zealand-made goods” should be broadcasted throughout the laud. The effect of giving a stimulus to the public conscience in this direction can only be beneficial so far as it may be discernible m the dominion’s trade balance. The drawbacks attending excessive importation should be generally appreciated. It is possible to contemplate with every satisfaction the prospect of a thoroughly impressive display of the products of the secondary industries of the dominion at the approaching Exhibition, a display such as should be materially conducive to the attainment of those results of which manufacturers realise the importance.