BUY BRITISH GOODS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19700, 29 January 1926, Page 12

BUY BRITISH GOODS.

A DAILY MAIL ARTICLE. EDUCATING THE CONSUMER. SIR GEORGE ELLIOT'S ADVICE. (Fbom Oub Own Cosbisposdejt.) LONDON, December 15. Sir George Elliot’s statement regarding the encouragement of British trade has found an echo in a leading article of the Daily MaiL At tne half-yearly meeting of the Bank of New Zealand, it will be remembered, he dwelt on the necessity of everything possible being done by the Government and by individuals to encourage and foster British industry, since on the well-being of the Mother Country New Zealand absolutelydepended for the continuance of her prosperity. “The British public will be grateful, and with good reason, to Sir George Elliot,” says the Daily Mail, “for the generous advice which he gives to the people of that flourishing Dominion to buy British goods in preference to all others. Everyone knows that New Zealand on her part has always been animated with a spirit of the finest loyalty to British traditions. At the present date the average New Zealand household of five persons spends on British goods £75 a year, and in no other country in the world can such a record be approached. The English family of five in the United States buys only about £2 10s worth of British goods. NEW ZEALAND BUTTER. “New Zealand’s attitude to the people of the Mother Country should never be forgotten here. It is one more strong argument in favour of buying Empireproduced goods. New Zealand butter, to take an example, is as good as the best butter imported from foreign countries; and if the British public insisted upon being supplied with it, in preference to foreign butter, farming in New Zealand would be stimulated and a wider field opened for British emigration thither. There could be no better country for the emigrant to choose; the soil and climate of New Zealand are famous, and there ia no land in the world which possesses more romantic scenery. MONEY IN THE FAMILY. “The advantages of inter-Empire trade are such that we in England should make every effort to develop it. _ Trifling though the preferences seem which have at last been granted on Empire wine, tobacco, and dried fruit, they are prized in the dominions as a sign that the preference movement is making rapid progress. The old antagonism to it is dying before such significant facts as this, that Australia and New Zealand have in recent years bought more British cotton piece goods than China and Hongkong. Above all, in buying Empire goods_ we keep our money in the family, as it were, and strengthen communities which in the hour of our great danger gave ua the most valiant and effective aid on the field of battle.” EDUCATING BUYERS. The Hornsey Conservative and Unionist Association are holding a three days exhibition, the object being to encourage the purchase of British and Empire-pro-duced goods. . The object of the movement is educational rather than commercial, and for this reason admission is free and nothing is sold from the stalls. The sole intention ia to arouse serious interest in what can be produced within the Empire bydisplay, explanatory notes, and_ in some cases sampling the wares. Information regarding bacon, honey, coffee, dried, and tinned fruits. Empire wines, and eo forth—all British and Empire goods—is provided, together with a list of the toe** retailers who supply the goods. Yesterday the local shopkeepers were invited to inspect the exhibits- Retailers are informed of the wholesale establishments whence the Empire goods can be obtaCaptain Euan Wallace, MJP. for the borough, in opening the exhibition, pointed out that the exhibition was hek. with no idea of damaging those tradesmen whose business it was to seU imported foreign goods, or to advertise or favour any particular firm. Empire development was, however, of vital importance to the whole nation. It was their duty to leave no stone unturned to induce people to spend their money in such a way as to assist towards that end. No nation had a right to control a quarter of the earth’s surface unless it w-as prepared to mate the beat use of that opportunity. , The dominions were naturally reluctant to accept migrants until they were quite certain that they could be placed m profitable occupations. It was no use sending families to Australia to grow fruit unless a market tor their products was fairly certain. If the dominions could be certain of a reasonable share in our great home market, they would be readv and willing to take more settlers. Therefore the purchase of Em ; pire products by this country wta of vital importance. MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN. Her Majesty the Queen has sent the following message to the president of the National Chamber of Trade;— “l have heard with much interest of the movement which is on foot throughout the country to promote a British Shopping Week for the purpose of stimulating the sale of British and Imperial goods. This is a method of helping trade and rednc ; ine unemployment in which every one ot us can lend a hand, and I sincerely trust that every local authority and every housewife will co-operate to make the movement a success. Maby It.