BRITISH INDUSTRIES FAIR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22835, 20 March 1936, Page 14

BRITISH INDUSTRIES FAIR

“COMING OF AGE" TWENTY-FOUR MILES OF STAND FRONTS TOUR .OF OLYMPIA • From Oor Own Correspondent.) (By Air Mail) LONDON, February 22. The British Industries Fair celebrates its “ coming of ago ” this year. During the 21 years the fair has had several homes —the Royal Agricultural Hall, a South Kensington museum, storehouses at the Loudon docks, the Crystal Palace, and the White City. For several years past Olympia, with its principal hall and four or five subsidiary halls, lias housed the main part of the fair, but a part of the White City has been used for textiles and furniture, while the engineering and hardware trades have staged their show at Castle Bromwich, Birmingham.

The usual statistics have been compiled, which show that trade buyers are here from 71 different countries. There are 1572 exhibitors in the two London sections and. 1003 at Castle Bromwich. Altogether the* exhibits cover an area of more than 820,000 square feet. A walk round the stands of the London exhibits necessitates a journey of miles, wlule a similar visit at Birmingham calls for a tour of 11J miles, or, in other words, the fair has a total stand frontage of 24 miles. Conditions are propitious. British trade, after fighting back, has regained many markets and obtained .such a commanding hold in various directions that in numerous industries, new and old, it leads the world. GOOD BUSINESS.

More than COO buyers from oversea and more than 2000 Home buyers had visited Olympia before 1 o’clock on the opening day. Some remarkable successes were reported. Within the first hour of the exhibition eight piano firms announced that the entire contents of their stands, worth £5900, had been sold. Before luncheon on the first day a leather goods manufacturer had done business to the value of £I4OO. The Leeda Photographic Company, of Weybridge, Surrey, reported that within half an hour of the opening they booked an order for 300,000 roll films from a Dutch company. The buyers used to get their supplies from Italy, but these are no longer available owing to sanctions. Passing through the Empire section, visitors come immediately to the very large area given up to leather goods and travelling requisites, in which England excels and which is of particular interest to New Zealand, for great quantities of skiver leather cut from New Zealand skins arc used in the trade. One wellknown firm has an excellent exhibit of skiver leather in many new patterns and colours. TRAVELLING CASES.

Several firms are specialising in lighter and more convenient luggage for light cars and aeroplanes. Picnic outfits for cars are tery numerous. These are complete with table trays, some with adjustable legs. Everywhere there is evidence of progress in the leather and fabric suitcase trade. A certain leather cloth now much in use for bags, trunks and fancy goods is to be seen in new colours, such as blues and greens. A new type of wardrobe trunk has a dome top, so that the trunk may not be placed in an inverted position. A circular variety of week-end case for women is particularly popular. It has compartments for shoes and for various garments, and a packed box for illustration contained 33 items. Another suitcase has a loop for

an umbrella, and the loop may be folded down when not in use. The ladies’ handbag trade is being well held by Great Britain. This year there are many black and white designii. In some white predominates, in some there is more black. In the luxury where bags range from £lO to 20 guineas, it is stated that the frames are still obtained from the Continent. A novelty in these high priced articles is .a catch in a depression at the top, giving the effect of water. On each “ bank ”of the lake is a seal carved in, ornamental istone. Another design has faces appearing at each end of the top. In another case there is a chain handle cut out of one block of cellulose material. What is called a box bag is prominent this year. This is shaped either like a lieli, a square box, or with an oval outline, with a flat top, and is very commodious. There is a handle for carrying. One is pure white and oval, is as ordered by the Princess Royal. Shark skin is being used a good deal, as well as real crocodile and alligator skins. SOME OF THE NOVETIES. A rapid tour of Olympia requires the best part of a day. During such a tour novelties are noted perhaps in preference to the goods that have' been long established. In the fancy goods section there are artificial flowers made from ostrich feathers, hairpins which absorb the light, and chromium plating on brass whidlr can be washed with soap and water.

In the stationery section it is stated that gold foil was a foreign product entirely. Now 99$ per cent, of the foil we use is made in England. Embossed seals wore originally a foreign industry. We are now exporting in addition to having captured the home trade. There are nibs with which a four-page letter may be written-with one dip of ink, and transparent pens so that it is possible to see if the pen needs refilling. Many firms are producing the photograph frames made of two plates of glass between which a silhouette picture is placed. SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS. A scientific instrument maker has produced spectacles which enable people to read in comfort while lying flat with a book on the chest. The eyes are in a normal position, and prisms are so designed that light is reflected twice and emerges at a third surface free from chromatism and without inversion of image. A new type of camera takes pictures one inch square which give excellent enlargements. Another firm is showing needles for use with radium, and on the stand is also a safe for keeping the radium. Although the safe is only a foot cube, it weighs scwt. It consists of solid lead, which confines the radium rays. Another interesting exhibit is rhodium plating. Rhodium is whiter that platinum and though not ns white as silver has a “ precious metal ” appearance. It is used as a stainless British for jewellery, for cups and trophies and for silver ware. CHEMICALS AND TOILET PREPARATIONS. An excellent display of drugs, pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetics and perfume is to be seen. One firm has established a plant for the manufacture of phenacetin, which previously came from foreign countries. Certain perfumes are being exported to the United States, and another firm which previously used “ Freres ” in their trade name to pander to the belief that the best toliet goods came from France, have dropped the “Freres” for “Limited." The firm is making good progress selling their goods as all-British products. Dyestuffs exhibited include the newlyintroduced Solacet colours for the direct dyeing of acetate silk, and the Monastral Fast Blue BS, which is the first blue pigment to be discovered since ultramarine in 1826. There is on view a model of the great coal-oil plant at Bill-

ingham. A certain liquid was originally prepared for preventing perspiration odour and for treating insect bites. Its powers as a stain remover were discovered accidentally, and it is now being sold for erasing ink without damaging paper, and removing stains from clothes without affecting the dye.

Makers of rubber balloons and other rubber contrivances welcome the new process which makes it possible to bring rubber to this country in the liquid state. Latex has revolutionised the industry, and goods which previously perished in a few weeks will last many months even in hot climates. An ingenious method of doing up parcels will save time, even if not money. A strip of gummed brown paper has two eyelets through the paper and a reinforced strip of cardboard. Through the eyelets is a loop of string. When, the parcel is wrapped all that is necessary is to draw the gum over a wet brush and place the strip of paper over the scam of the parcel. Massage by mechanical means—generally by electric power—has long been in practice,, but many people have been nervous of the electricity. To do away, with this danger a neat little vibrator has been made for fitting on the bathroom tap. The water turns a small, turbine, which, in turn, causes the vibra- j tions. The instrument can be obtained for 50s, and may be fitted to any tap with a pressure behind it. .■ ADVERTISING SIGN.

A new display sign has been devised which is simpler than the Neon sign. It consists of glass tubing in the form of letters. Each tube contains a quan-. tity of alcohol, and the air pressure in-; side is slight. Ordinary electric lights are concealed at the bottom of the letters. and create enough heat to make the alcohol bell. Bubbles rise continually up the tubes and break at the top, for the alcohol, being under little or no air pressure, boils with the slightest! heat. The effect is very attractive A new type of piano player is a decidedly ingenious and sound piece of j work. It is in the form of a longi- * tudinal box with a domed top. The box fits over the keys of the piano, and the ; bellows’ are operated by electricity.T It ‘ is made in wood to match any piano for 24 guineas. As usual, the Toys and Games Section is a very large one, and it is even rumoured that Germans are buying from England this year. The China, Glass and Pottery Section is also of a standard which leads the world. l .