NEW ZEALAND GOODS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3958, 21 January 1930, Page 71

NEW ZEALAND GOODS.

DUTY OF THE PUBLIC. CHRISTCHURCH. January 14. Addressing the annual conference of the New Zealand Master Grocers' Federation to-day the Minister of Health (Mr A. J. Stallworthy) referred to the competition of foreign goods. He said that in hotels he had found such things as American soap and American fruit. New Zealand fruit, apricots and peaches, was going to waste, :nd on top of this the people were clamouring to the Govern ment for work. Everywhere they sawthings American. He deprecated the fact that so many of the goods used in New Zealand were imported to compete unfairly with the New Zealand article. In his own home everything was NewZealand or British made. That was a principle which others could follow.

Mr Stallworthy’ reiterated the message of the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) that if every householder in the Dominion spent 2s 6d a week on New Zealand-made goods the question of unemployment would be solved. A comparison of American and New’ Zealand trade in New Zealand showed three to one in favour of American. All this should have roused our people to action, but none was forthcoming. He looked on the grocers as the “ outposte of the Empire.” They played a very important part in the economic life of the community, and they had ■a great deal to say in regard to imports. They were public educators in the matter of local industries.

Mr Stallworthy’ also dealt with the protection of industries, and assured the gathering that if they could bring measures before Parliament which sought protection against foreign competition, he felt sure they would receive sympathetic consideration.