“MADE IN NEW ZEALAND.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21647, 18 May 1932, Page 8

“MADE IN NEW ZEALAND.”

The arguments in support of a considerable concentration on the part of the people of the Dominion upon the purchase of New Zealand-made goods have been frequently stated. If the manufacturers’ organisations seek periodically to reiterate them strongly it is because they recognise, that there is room and justification for propaganda upon this matter. The development of a public conscience in respect of buying in a patriotic way would seem t,o be a somewhat slow process. The people of New Zealand possess a sense of loyalty, and certainly have the interests of their own country at heart. But to some of them it does not seem to occur that they could demonstrate this to good practical purpose in their buying. What is asked of the community as a whole, and of each individual member of it, is that as consumers they should give thought to the source and origin of what they consume, that they should take a very close interest in the products of their own country and endeavour to use them in as large a measure as possible. The suggestion that they ought as a matter of duty to give preference to New Zealand-made goods where these are of good quality and are available at a competitive price is an entirely reasonable one. It is an old saying that charity begins at home. Upon the manufacturers it rests, of course, to see that the quality and the price of commodities which they place upon the market merit the support of the public. If there is a failure on their part to secure this important conjunction of quality and price they must accept the natural consequences. In such circumstances all the slogans in the world will help them little. While sentiment creates preferences, people bring a very practical mind to bear upon their shopping. They are concerned that their spending shall be done to the best advantage. It is therefore necessary that the exhortation “ Buy New Zealand-made goods ” shall have a very strong endorsement in the goods themselves, their appearance, quality, suitability, and cost. The local shop window displays during the “ Made in New Zealand Week,” which is ushered in to-day, will afford, in their attractive' opulence, a convincing display of what the secondary industries of this country can supply. It is to be hoped that the general public will appreciate the effort that has been made in the staging of this display and accord it the compliment of inspection and appraisement. Provided that the manufacturers do not ask for an unreasonable measure of protection against the imported article, and provided they do their best to attract customers in the way which we have emphasised, they are on sure ground in asking for support, and there is no reason why the buying of New Zealand-made goods should not become a habit with the people of this Dominion. In respect of goods which are not produced in this country, but which the people require, there remains a very considerable field for the exercise of preference for British and Empire products. We would wish, however, to see the New Zealander buying New Zealand-made goods because they are produced in his own country and because they give him the satisfaction which he is entitled to expect from them. These two considerations are closely associated. There never was a time when it was more desirable than at present that an impetus should be given to the industries of this Dominion. The stress of the economic situation has resulted in the creation of a large volume of unemployment and an accompanying problem of the most difficult kind. If the demand for the pi’oducts of the secondary industries of the country could be increased to an appreciable extent —as would certainly happen if a considerable proportion of the members of the community were to concentrate on the purchase of New Zealand-made goods—the capacity of these industries to offer employment would be correspondingly enlarged. Such a result would be of immense benefit to the community at the present time in the absorption in industry of many of those who can find no present field for their labour. The relief of unemployment constitutes the most powerful argument of all for a cheerful and liberal response on the part of the consumers of the Dominion to the claims of local industries. Nothing is more clear than that in supporting local manufactures the purchasing public will be helping to lighten the present burdens of the whole community.

THE WEST COAST MINES. The information that the Coal Mine Owners’ Federation is prepared to meet representatives of the miners respecting the working conditions which the proprietors of the mines on the West Coast propose to introduce will be generally welcomed. The intimation of the owners’ proposals was unfortunately couched in terms which were interpreted by the miners as an ultimatum and as a challenge. Whether the miners were justified in so interpreting them may at least be doubted. The practice of the past has been that, before any change was made in the conditions-under which the industry is carried on, there was a conference of representatives of the employers and workers concerning them. On this occasion, the miners assumed that the mine owners intended to impose new conditions without observance of this practice. It is probable that it was never contemplated by the owners that the moral obligation, which they have hitherto recognised, to consult the miners before instituting a departure from the working conditions would be disregarded. Negotiation between employers and employees is widely regarded as desirable before any fresh working arrangement is introduced, since cordial co-operation between them is obviously important. The miners seem to have acted with' more haste than judgment in determining upon a strike immediately on receipt of the intimation from the mine owners. It should be sufficiently plain that in their own interests, if in no other, the owners would desire to make known the reason of their proposals and to avoid the risk of creating an industrial upheaval. A regrettable effect of the misunderstanding—for misunderstanding it seems to have been —is that the miners were roused to a pitch of unusual excitement, as manifested by the decision of the Denniston Union to appeal to Australia for support, to send delegates as far away as England to seek assistance there, and even, in a flight of imagination that would betray (if nothing else would) the class of counsel that inspires them, to endeavour to get into communication with the miners’ organisations in Russia. The West Coast miners were in an aggressive mood when they arrived at all these militant decisions. It is to be hoped that they will be able to discuss the mine owners’ proposals in conference in a calmer frame of mind than was exhibited at Denniston on Monday.