NEW ZEALAND-MADE GOODS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21648, 19 May 1932, Page 12

NEW ZEALAND-MADE GOODS

MANUFACTURERS’ ANNUAL APPEAL STRIKING DISPLAYS BY RETAILERS EXHIBITION AT OTAGO WOMEN’S 6 CLUB The annual New Zealand-made goods display of the Dunedin Manufacturers’ Association was commenced in the city yesterday. As a result of co-operation between the retailers and the association an effective and arresting exhibition of New Zealand manufactures is being made in shop windows all over the city and suburbs. No fewer than 430 windows contained artistic and representative displays yesterday, and for the greater part of the day these windows, representing just short of 300 retail shops, attracted keen and interested attention from shoppers. The range of goods covered by this year’s effort embraces a multitude of necessaries and luxuries. Food and raiment, furnishings and household utensils, cigarettes, sweets, beverages, and all sorts of household requirements are exhibited in a novel and striking fashion which reflects great credit upon the energy, ingenuity, and public-spiritedness of retailers. The effort serves not only to impress upon the buying public the need for supporting local industry, but also to demonstrate to the man in the street the increasing variety, usefulness, and quality of the goods now being produced by the secondary industries of the Dominion. AT THE OTAGO WOMEN’S CLUB ADDRESS BY MR J. G. JEFFERY In the large assembly hall of the Otago Women’s Club the Manufacturers’ Association yesterday staged its third annual display of New Zealand-made goods, and during the afternoon a large gathering of members was addressed by the president of the association (Mr J. G. Jeffery) and by Mr J. Sutherland Ross. The display of goods was interesting and comprehensive, and attracted general attention. Mrs R. A. Ewing occupied the chair, and in introducing the speakers described the annual display as an endeavour to educate women up to becoming keener and better buyers of New Zealand-made goods. That was no doubt very necessary, she said, but at the same time she thought that a similar course of instruction might well be provided for salespeople in Dunedin who offered shoppers anything at all, irrespective of its place of manufacture. CASE FOR THE MANUFACTURER Mr Jeffery, in opening his address, said that it was the third occasion on which the Otago Women’s Club had co-operated with the Dunedin Manufacturers’ Association in their annual New Zealand Industries Display Week. In the installing of the exhibits they always received every help from Miss Nicolson and her staff. Their co-operation in a movement which they firmly felt was in the interests of the Dominion was greatly valued by the members of the association, and, on their behalf, he thanked them very sincerely for the practical and sustained interest they had shown in the industrial life of the community. _ . The question he wished to discuss was “ Is the Development of Industry in the Dominion Desirable? ” The manufacturers of the Dominion said unhesitatingly “Yes,” a conviction which had prompted them and the shareholders in their companies to invest millions in plant and buildings. They felt that manufacturing industries in a properly balanced ratio to E rimary industries would mean a better ome market for primary producers and the retention of purchasing power in the Dominion. What was the local market worth to primary producers? The Dominion consumed 23 per cent, of its butter, 49 per cent, of mutton, 7 per cent, of lamb, and 77 per cent, of other meats, such as beef, pork, and veal. The consumption of wool was 4 per cent, of productions, and of cheese 7 per cent. All coal, timber (other than white pine and kauri), cereals, root crops, small fruits, stone fruits, 90 per cent, of pears, and 60 per cent, of apples were consumed locally. In the manufacturing industries there were 55,000 persons earning £10,000,000 per annum in wages. Surely the local market, which was not seriously challenged from outside, was worth having. But one could imagine someone saying that secondary industries, through high protection and the consequent high cost of commodities, were a drag on the primary producer. New Zealand was ’.ot a high tariffed country, especially when compared with Australia, Canada, the United States of America, and many other countries. Its Customs tariff was primarily for revenue producing purposes. The New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation had never pressed for high tariffs, but would strenuously fight any tariff reductions on goods which could be economically made within the Dominion until the financial position of the country wag such that goods which could not be made in New Zealand could be allowed in duty free, and some of;the burdens of taxation pressing so heavily on industry lifted. The prejudices of the past against goods made in New Zealand were not now warranted, and if proof of this were wanted it was surely shown in the co-operation in this movement by retailers and their assistants, of necessity the most critical of buyers, the press, public men, and their own club. New Zealand-made woollen goods, boots, apparel, confectionery, cereal foods, soaps, and many other articles too numerous to mention, to-day compared in quality with the world’s best and at competitive prices. New Zealand, of course, could not have hoped under any circumstance to have escaped the world slump, but had it been more self-reliant in the pagt and been more self-contained, it would have been in a much better position to face these distressing times. For the 11 years from 1921-1931, New Zealand’s exports were £539,044,049, compared with imports totalling £512,997,428, making an excess of imports of £26,046,021. Interest paid overseas in that period was £72,251,352 and loans raised overseas were £77,425.000. Then there wa a also invisible imports such ns interest on overseas loans, s shipping charges on exports, interest and exchange charges, all ot which had. during that period, exceeded £10,000,000 per annum. During the period 1920-1920 the adverse balance was just on £62,000,000. During that time New Zealand imported annually on an average over £10,000,000 worth cif goods which might well have been made in New Zealand. For instance, annually this country imported woollen goods valued at £791,000; boots and shoes, £921,000: apparel—ready-made clothing—£1,977.845: confectionery, £245,000; hosiery, £503,546; cigarettes, £576,000: agricultural implements, £165.377; and leather and leather goods, £389,384. If they had been true to themselves, what a different position they would have been in!

The New Zealand manufacturers, said Mr Jeffery, did not ask that their goods be bought unless competitive for value and quality, and if they found any shortcoinings in their products the association wanted them to let it know, They must all remember that every time one bought an article made overseas when a locally-made one was available, ho was losing an opportunity of providing work for his own countrymen and keeping purchasing power within the Dominion. A healthy industry vitalises others. Every million pounds’ worth of goods produced kept 2000 directly in employment for a year, and they indirectly maintained a further 500 in subsidiary trades, transport, public services, and the professions. Mr Jeffery concluded with a direct appeal to everyone present to buy New Zea-land-made goods wherever possible.

MR ROSS’S REMARKS Mr Rosg said that 85 per cent, of the goods used in households were purchased by the women-folk, so_ that in speaking to women they were virtually addressing the buyers of the country. The reason why it was necessary for them to address the public in tho way they were doing was that people were not giving, manufacturers the support that they thought was due to them. It was not the fault of the manufacturers, and lie thought it was not altogether the fault of the consumer. Too often the man or woman behind the counter, not appreciating like the employer did the importance of selling New Zealand-made goods, failed to push such wares. He asked his hearers to insist on being shown the New Zealand article. The manufacturers were not afraid of either competition op comparison, and, as Mr Jeffery had said, were not in favour of high protective tariffs, because it was probable that if duties became too high all and sundry would commence manufacturing, with the result that many goods unworthy of New Zealand would appear on the market. They preferred a moderate tariff that would keep their noses to the grindstone and compel them to maintain a competitive quality. Referring to the scarcity of employment for boys and girls, Mr Ross said industry at the present time could not afford to pay the wages required and fixed for untrained children. The result was that they had to remain unemployed. Perhaps if all the Arbitration Court awards were set aside for a year they might be assisted to do something for boys and girls. At the end of that time most of the young people offering would be absorbed, and a great deal ot distress eliminated. Mr Ross also referred to the common cry that retail cost was out of all proportion to the cost of material. That was not strictly true, and in the case of woollen goods was quite incorrect. Wool had to pass through ! f rom 40 to 50 processes in manufacture, and each process had to be paid for nt the standard rate of award wages. In any case, they should remember that price depended entirely upon output. If machinery worked full time, the product must be cheaper than if it was working only half-time. So long as tho demand was such as to create work the machinery industry would improve and be able to absorb labour. In conclusion, the speaker thanked the club for the reception accorded the association’s representatives. Mrs Edmond, in proposing a vote of thanks, referred, to tho great rush of patriotic buying in Great Britain in 1930, and expressed the hope that something of the same nature would occur in New Zealand.