SECONDARY INDUSTRIES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17234, 14 April 1930, Page 13

SECONDARY INDUSTRIES

N.Z.-MADE GOODS PROBLEMS OF MARKETING The problems facing the manufacturers of New Zealand-made good:; in marketing their goods formed the subject of an interesting address delivered at to-day's Uotai'y Club luncheon by Mr. 1". Price, representing Technical Publications, Wellington. Mr. Price referred to. the mi. portaucc of secondary industries to I lie prosperity of the Dominion, but coin ineiitcd iipmi the poor support offered by the New Zealand people, and emphasised the necessity of educating the children to support their own industries by invariably buying New Zealand-made articles when procurable. The chairman, Rotarian T. Adams, welcomed Mr. Price to the luncheon, and at the '-onclusion of his address the speaker was accorded a warm vote of thanks on the motion of Rotarian Chas. Bull. Mr. Pi'ice commented firstly upon the lack of' support given to secondary industries by Parliament, and remarked that concrete instances ol this were frequently brought under his notice. There was a, strong committee in Wellington working night and day and spending an almost, unlimited amount of money to further the interests of the secondary industries, which were the life blood of the majority of the people of the Dominion. Representatives of the

woollen, boot and shoe, motor car. and other industries had formed strong de put at ions to -Parliament, and bad been courteously received, but that was all : there was no other result, and no pro mises of help 'were made. The speaker had been associated with the press in •propaganda to assisl the secondary industries, and the proprietor! of several dailies were prepared to'accept articles by first-class writers urging the people to support their own district first. New Zealand second, and the rest of the Empire third. Many of these articles had been published at various times, and a certain amount of interest was created, but (hero was no practical result. TliO public might, read and digest, but did not) givo effect to thai digestion in u practical form. QUAUTY I'NSCI!PASSED. Dealing with the quality of New Zea-land-made goods, Mr. Price remarked that in 'comparison with other countries New Zealand turned out first-rate articles, well-finished and extensively advertised, but they were not supported. As an example he named a well-known woollen factory-turning out rugs of the finest quality which more than held their own on the American market, but which were not appreciated in this Dominion. The speaker had questioned the manage) of the mills as to his method of placing the'rugs on the. market, and had been informed that the company's travellers placed the rugs with the retailers, who hung them up alongside the imported articles, and when people came in to buy a rug they did not "are which they bought.

In the boot factories lie bad seen some wonderful products. Shoes were made in New Zealand that other countries could not compete with; the New Zealand manufacturers could under sell I heir foreign rivals, but yet they could not sell their goods. It has been found that the only successful method of marketing New Zealand-made boots and shoes was to label them not "New Zealand Made." bat "British Made." Mr. Price referred to women's patent leather shoes of a certain type made of the finest material. which, at the same price, could not coin pete with imitation patent leather shoes imported from Czechoslovakia, despite the fact thai the imported articles were of a, -most inferior quality.

The potential wealth m the iron industry in New Zealand was also touched upon by Mr. Price, who remarked that there were many line deposits in the Dominion which, unfortunately, were not comincAjialised properly. In many cases New Zealand iron could be used foe various parts of ears, but the ore was sent, away, and freight has U> be paid both ways. lie bad noticed that one man in Gisborne. bad made Iwo cars, and ho could sec no reason why cars should not bo made in the Dominion on a coin mercial basis. With the exception of the tyres and tubes, lie believed that. every' part could lie made in this country. EDUCATING THE CHILDREN.\ "Wo should not be backward in Ihese things," went on Mr. Price. "We have a wonderful educational system, but many of the men who have passed through our universities have placed' their abilities to the benefit of another country. Why can't we keep them here'' Because we are not offering them any inducement to remain." The speaker with others had recently put forward a scheme whiil) it' was hoped would be adopted by all manufacturers. If was realised that Rome could not be built ■in a. day, and although the manufacturers had poured out money like water tho people had not-been influenced. The scheme was that the principal of each manufacturing firm should devote halt an hour each week, to addressing the; pupils of tho upper 'classes in the schools on his industry, and where possible, take the children through the factories, explaining their working to them. The manufacturers should also award a substantial scholarship. Results could not be hoped for in a day, and the children must bo educated to support the country that supported them.

"He may think he is, but no man is the' Mussolini' of his own home," re-l marked Mr. Price, in referring to Hio importance of appealing to tho women folk to support the secondary industries. "No married man Ica.ll gel away from the fact that no matter-Avhat he wants! to buy, lie can only buy it when bis wife' says so; ninety -nine times out of a hundred she is the dictator of the finances of the household. We. mttsl make the women see thai they must. Support our industries, and we are trying to evolve a scheme to do so. When you can solve that problem you will know 1 what to do with your secondary industries."