EMPIRE TRADE NEEDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21384, 11 July 1931, Page 13

EMPIRE TRADE NEEDS

PRICES OF BRITISH GOODS GARMENTS WILL NOT WEAR OUT. (From Oub Own Correspondent.) LONDON, May 21. The Earl of Athlone, lately returned from South Africa, was given a luncheon by the British Empire League this week. Lord Stradbroke, who presided, remarked that everyone realised that South Africa was not the easiest of our dominions in which a Governor-General was called upon to carry out his duties. But by the exercise of his tact and judgment Lord Athlone had the great compliment paid him of being asked to stay on after his normal term of office, and he had been in that position for seven years. No doubt he would admit that Princess Alice had been of great assistance in his arduous task.—(Cheers.) Lord Athlone expressed the pleasure he had had in entertaining representatives of the Empire Parliamentary Delegation in 1924, the representatives of the Chamber of Commerce of the Empire in 1927, and not long ago the British Association under the presidency of Sir Thomas Holland. These visits were all to the good and, did assist in welding together the many, peoples who made up the wonderful association of free nations by the friendships made during such visits, “ I have purposely used this expression free nations,” he said, “because having the welfare of the-Empire at heart, I realise the importance of recognising this fact in our dealings one with the other. I feel certain that though each one of the component parts of this association of free nations may, not always be in agreement, yet there is not one that does not appreciate the important position and prestige which are theirs by right as members of the British Empire under his Majesty the King.” Turning to trade affairs, the earl spoke of the Prince of Wales’s talk to the business men of Manchester, and went on; “In 1901 I had the honour of accompanying his Majesty the King on his long voyage of eight months in the Ophir. Many of you will remember his speech at Guildhall on hia return, when he used those memorable words, ‘ Wake up, England! s It seems, alas, necessary to have a ‘ wake-up ’ speech in each generation!-'— (Laughter.) “gome of the older people are accustomed to wear articles of clothing for many years and are loth to part with, a garment which will not wear out. In New Zealand a business man told me that a traveller produced, some boots to be sold at 80s n pair, and when told that they wanted boots at 12s 6d because people only wished to wear them a few months. . the answer was ‘We make articles that last.’ Nowadays, we must remember the young generation do not require clothes to last so long, because they prefer more constant changes. 1 know British manufacturers are second to none, but if purchasers prefer the cheaper and inferior articles, for goodness sake let us fall into line and keep the market.—(Cheers.) • . „ « In Sou'h Africa there are practically no English cars, but thousands of cheap American cars are shipped weekly to be assembled at the coast towns, and, although there is a desire to buy British goods, the price is so often prohibitive. Complaints )<ve been made aboiit south Africa not buying engines in. England, but I must point out that it is a little difficult if the difference in price comes to 30,000 or 40,000. I am glad to say, however, that South Africa has been buying larger quantities of materials from this country.— (Cheers.) “ I am not one of those who. worry in the slightest about the Empire. 1 know there has been a feeling that everbody is getting a little too much freedom, but I fee! if we give people . freedom there is far more chance of their realising that freedom carries responsibilities and that we are really a brotherhood constituted of different parts ot the Empire. That the British Empire is one of the greatest assets to civilisation is, 1 thins, generally realised.”