MANUFACTURER AND DISTRIBUTOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21019, 7 May 1930, Page 18

MANUFACTURER AND DISTRIBUTOR.

NEED -FOR CO-OPERIATION. ■ ’ i ■ ,j •. i A PATRIOTIC DEMAND. By Mr G. W. Clinkakd (Secretary of the Department of Industries and Commerce). ( It gives me great satisfaction as the recently-appointed secretary of the Department of Industries and Commerce to commend the annual window display of New Zealand-made goods to the thought ful consideration of readers of your paper. In my opinion' the exhibition of New Zealand products in retail shop windows is one of the most effective; methods of propaganda,’ and must result in the wider distribution of Dominion manufactures. Why it should be limited to an effort": once a year is a question which , both manufacturers and . retailers might reason . ' ably ash themselves. On -one; hand we have the Newi-sZealand - manufacturer/ pro- 4 during goods; which compete inequality ■'find, value -with similargoods imported ; ;from - oyejrse.as, and, on' the ' other hand,- ; ,it ;is ,a. distinct benefit to Retailers that : 'tbey; |tce; alile.jlto -purchase ... ■ < rnepts in.fqaahiities. as deairod, froin local With '• considerably r less. - risk Sbf • stock depreciation ot loss.: by change ,ofi, fashion and many other advantages which -accnte’frPin local, buying.v - If Yrtide unde? these circumstances does not flow towards New .Zealand factories it is the /’duty of ;the manufacturer'to ascertain‘ the cause from- the distributor and take steps’ to' the marketing la at ing and get-up of the local article suffers whim'^mpated-..with ’ thatf 'from overseas, - these are smaUmatten. in wtich both the manufacturer and letailer can co-operate, and provide a solution of the •difficulty. ' '. ■ . ■, ' ? : From information itfiat hasjjbeen 5 re- ■ corded by my department it appeara that £ the retailers of DuneStin are in- \ creasing suroprfeto 4 * MmS-ln-lMßfc 'Zealand-Weea -Effort.' '“Tire number or shop windows specially allocated to the display of New Zealand; goods this year has increased by' over 50 per cent-, when compared with the number two From this fact the manufacturers can

assume that they are obtaining the confidence and co-operation of retailers in a greater measure,- and that the prejudice against New Zealand goods which existed in ah acute form several, years ago is now practically a thing of the past. In place thereof a policy of definite support is being gradually substituted; in fact ,the president of the New Zealand Federation of Drapers, Clothiers, and Boot Retailers .went so far as to state at their ' annual meeting held recently that “ the Retailers were only too ready to. push. New Zealand-made goods.”' ' ; There is, however, need for., greater co-operation between the manufacturer and the distributor. At the meeting referred to one speaker stated that he had .been doing business with-New Zealand manufacturing firms for years, and that at no time.had he received a visit from any of the principals of the firms, Closer relations between manufacturer and dis tributor should be developed. - The interest of each is mutual~the policy of the retailer to ascertain. and gauge the • requirements of the consumer, and the manufacturer to supply the goods suitable to the trade of the retailer, A greater impetus should be given to the . purchase of New Zealand goods- by’ the "practical and definite adoption ; my manufacturers ,of a policy similar to that adopted ihy. a'. world-wide manufacturing corporation with'a factory in-Welling-ton. ..In placing -ders for requirements; of raw and other materials the order form of this manufacturer has printed thereon: ‘‘Goods supplied in this order to be of New Zealand origin.” ■ The . individual manufacturer should .also lead -the way by -, insisting on all ■occasions that his personal and household requirements be of- New Zealand {make. The employees of a manufacturer , as, members of trade unions .could materially assist fellow unionists. in{,other in- ; ,4?ibtries. by adopting a' policy of prefer-' ience wherever possible for New Zealand- ; made 1 articles. ■a While'it is to a large extent in the • hands-,;of : the retailer to . help the local manufacturer'by'stocking'hi's goods, by ; recommending their purchase to his , clients, , and by co-pperatirig with the ■ manufacturer, he is not in business nlto- ‘ { getter' for the benefit ol the manufactufer, and the goods on .hjs shelves will reflect .to some extent the tastes and C I'othcr requirements of his customers. As, 'Therefore, he. responds' to a‘ fashion ~de|- | so also will' he! {respond: to a ''patriotic demand —a patriotism t at- is >, *?-bE&ed on aouhd judgment and.arecogmtipn of the economic value of purchasing / Dominion-made goods. The' customer must be educated to i realise how important a factor he is in , the development of industry. Unfortuj. .nately he places too small a yalde on his honjaribution or is too, inodest to admit ' that his small purchases'have) any serious c effect on the greater issues.,’ He must be . educated to think and buy; nationally j and" to realise' that the total annual ej fjetail sales of the Dominion are made up “ L of many millions of purchases such- as | > his.. ■. j A definite preference for the products of our fellow-workers, within . the Do- ’ ■ niihion means increased output from fac- • tories, reduced cost of production, and i lower prices to the consumer.