AN EMPIRE SHOP.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21300, 2 April 1931, Page 14

AN EMPIRE SHOP.

HIGH COMMISSIONER AT BIRMINGHAM. NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE. BRITAIN’S LACK OF CONFIDENCE. (Fkoji Oue Own Cobbespondent.) LONDON, February 12. The Empire Marketing Board has opened a shop in a busy thoroughfare in Birmingham, on the same lines as the one at Glasgow last year. Each dominion in turn will have a fortnight’s tenancy, displaying their produce, selling samples, and stimulating trade inquiries. Britain occupied the shop during the first fortnight, and New Zealand, which followed next, opened its exhibition on February 9. An excellent display of butter, cheese, mutton and lamb, honey, dried milk, etc., was arranged in the three large windows of the shop, effective colouring being provided with transparencies and posters, while there was ample lettering proclaiming the outstanding quality of the New Zealand products. Another fine display was made within the the shop itself. This was the work of the High Commissioner’s publicity section, carried out in conjunction with the New Zealand produce boards. At the invitation of the Empire Marketing Board, the High Commissioner (Sir Thomas Wilford) officially inaugurated the New Zealand tenancy of the shop. Sir Thomas went to Birmingham by an early morning train, and was welcomed by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, who also presided at the ceremony. Leading grocery wholesale merchants and representative retailers chiefly comprised the audience. In welcoming the High Commissioner, the Lord Mayor said that the name of New Zealand had been vividly before them recently by reason of the disastrous earthquake at Hawke’s Bay. The whole world sympathised with the Dominion. Their recollections of the war did remind them of the affinity between England and New Zealand, more particularly in the fact that they found New Zealanders very much like themselves.—(Applause.) He knew there were many who would like to contribute to the unfortunates in the disaster; and he quoted one instance of a public-spirited citizen, who, immediately the first news had come through had expressed a desire to contribute £IOO to any relief fund that might be raised.— (Applause.) He knew the High Commissioner would be grateful to receive such subscriptions, and he (the Mayor) would undertake to forward them to him. The Lord Mayor went on to say that the display at the Empire Shop during the next fortnight would represent the chief lines of produce exported by New Zealand. There were many reasons why Birmingham people should purchase New Zealand goods. Sentiment was only a minor one. Upon the test of quality alone New Zealand was prepared to stand by her produce; but there was this fact also, that New Zealand was the greatest purchaser, per capita, of British goods in the world. Therefore, it was good business, good sense, and evidence of good friendship for them to buy from New Zealand.— (Applause.) He expressed the gratification it gave them to have the High Commissioner with them, and he had great pleasure in calling upon him to declare the New Zealand Exhibition open. — (Applause.) REAL HELP FOR NEW ZEALAND. Sir Thomas said it seemed almost •superfluous that he should say more about the quality of New Zealand because practically all that be could pronounce in its praise had already been said by the Lord Mayor—and that had come from an “ impartial ” source. — (Applause.) But before he touched more on that side of his subject he would like to thank the Lord Mayor for his very kind, remarks relating to his country, and especially in regard to the disastrous earthquake in the Hawke’s Bay area. He appreciated, also, very much the kindly feelings of goodwill of that Birmingham resident who had_ decided to help the funds for the relief of the sufferers. ' , , “In times like these, when trade is bad, there are, perhaps, many people who might like to help the relatives of the stricken and injured, but are unable to do so. But if they cannot give any money they can purchase our produce instead of foreign—our meat, butter and cheese, and our honey. They will thus be assisting us very materially over bad times and rendering very real help. By ‘ bad times ’ I mean those exceptional trade conditions which New Zealand, like all other countries, is at present experiencing. New Zealand stands very high in the estimation of the people of the world, both in relation to her primary produce, and the management of her affairs.” ' Britain, said Sir Thomas, was suffering from a lack of confidence. “Just before I came through Warwick on the journey here I noticed the sunlight peeping through the clouds, and I thought that if the sun of confidence could only thaw out some of the frozen capital of this country so that it could flow through im dustry and commercial enterprise what a different country it would be.—(Applause.) Has not want of confidence become an epidemic?’’—(Applause.) hor instance. New Zealand butter, not long ago, bad jumped up 12s a ewt, because ships could not at the time come up the Thames owing to fog and deliver their buttter cargoes, and sellers were holding short; they had had no confidence. Xhey, therefore, had to buy at a higher price. It was the same to-day in the wool trade. The lowest minimum merchants could pay for New Zealand produce should not be the Alpha and Omega of the traders and people of Britain—(Applause.) “ You can put the price so low that ; it would not pay to produce the goods. At present New Zealand butter, from grass in almost perpetual sunshine, and with the cows drinking crystal clear water, was 26s a ewt lower than Danish At Stoke not long ago, he had told the people there that while New Zealand m six years had purchased over £2,000,000 worth of their pottery manufacture they only ate Danish butter. He had told them New Zealand could buy more of their manufactures if they purchased New Zealand butter.— (Applause.) Every pound paid to the foreigners Lecame a prisoner in that country. It did not come back Every pound paid to New Zealand returned to this country. The children had been taught for years to lisp to the grocer, “A pound of Danish! —(Applause.) ONLY THIRTY CARCASSES REJECTED. He fold of one grocer who, to induce a better sale of New Zealand butter, had had the Danish stocks put some distance away from the counter and down some steps, making it a tedious business to supply customers who asked for it. Ihe result was that sales of New Zealand butter went up enormously in that shop.— displayed in the shop were of the highest quality. New Zealand honey came from white clover lands. Nine million carcasses of New Zealand mutton had passed through Smithfield last year, and only 30 had been put aside for imperfection, chiefly in regard to thawing—so level and so uniform w a ® the quality that the most captious British “critics” could only object to 30 out of that vast number. — (Applause.) Sir Thomas thanked the Lord Mayor again, and he also referred to the generous gift of the King and Queen to the Earthquake Fund: and concluded: “In our happiness and our economic prosperity lie your economic prosperity and happiness. We are not independent. We are absolutely dependent on one another. If quality is to be the sole desideratum I am not afraid. Test our goods, and you will buy them; but let me say this: When you ask for them see that you get them.' (Applause.) ' A vote of thanks was accorded Sir Thomas on the proposition of Mr William Wilson, representing the wholesale grocers, seconded by Mr George Bolton (president of the Birmingham and Midland Counties Grocers’ Association). Mr Francis Nicholls moved a vote of thanks to the Lord Mayor. This was seconded by Mr A. D. Wimbush (chairman of the Birmingham Retailers' Association). I