NEW ZEALAND “PUSH”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18763, 20 July 1935, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND “PUSH”

THE POTTERIES MARKET TWO-WAY TRADE SHOW MR. FORBES PAYS VISIT (Prom » Special Correspomlc.nl) LONDON, .inno 13. Thu latest eftorts of the Now Zealand Dairy Board, in conjunction with the Moat and Fruit Boards, to promote tin cause of reciprocal Empire trade met with a remarkable enthusiasm throughout the Potteries to-day. An* exhibition of New Zealand butter, cheese, meat and fruit, combined with a magnificent show of British • pottetj from 14 leading firms- in Staffordshire, was opened in tlie presence of the Prune Minister of New Zealand, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, and Mrs. Forbes, accompanied by the High Commissioner tor New Zealand, Sir James Parr, the chairmau of the New Zealand Aleal Board, and the London representatives of tlie New Zealand Dairy Produce, Meat and Fruit Boards. They were met at Stoke-on-Trent by the Lord Mayor, Alderman A. C. Harvey, and conducted to the “shop, where there was a representative, gathering of pottery manufacturers—rassembled under the auspices of the British Pottery Manufacturers’ Federation—and of retail grocer's from all parts of the Potteries. Early in the proceedings the retail and wholesale grocers of Stoke-on-Trent and district presented to the Prime Minister, through their president, Cap tain VV. B. Green, a sample of. Doulton ware, and volunteered a definite under taking to do all.in their power to pus,a the sale of New Zealand butter hi the Potteries. Speeches by the Prime Minister anu the High Commissioner followed, after which the official party visited the Town Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, where they were tlie guests of the British Pottery Manufacturers’ Federation and the Chamber of Commerce.

MESSAGES OF CONGRATULATION Messages were read congratulating the boards on their enterprise in promoting this novel method of encouraging Empire trade. During their speeches the Staffordshire representatives expressed their gratitude at the opportunity afforded of demonstrating their willingness to reciprocate New Zealand’s friendly gesture of removing the tariff' on British tn'lde chirm by encouraging to the utmost the consumption of New Zealand products in the Potteries district. Mr Forbes responded and assured his hearer's of New Zealand’s willingness and desire to give the utmost fiscal encouragement to the manufaituro.s of the Potteries and, indeed, of every other British manufacture except those which could be more economically'produced in rhe Dominion. FOREIGN IMITATIONS A remarkable allegation was made during the proceedings by Mr Ernest Johnson, president of the P.ritish .pottery Manufacturers’ Federation, that foreign competitors in the Dominion were not merely' imitating the traditional designs; of famous pottery firms, but some were labelling their products as being of the designs originated by those firms. He .pleaded for legislative action by New Zealand to prevent the recurrence of this.

II was stated that preliminary investigations carried our by tlie New Zealand Dairy Board’s staff show that the Potteries still remain one of the black spots of the United Kingdom so far as the marketing of New Zealand dairy produce is concerned. It is estimated that for every pound of New Zealand butter sold, there arc sold 221 b. of foreign butter. Every effort is being made to drive homo to the people of the Potteries the Tolly of encouraging the sale of foreign butter when their own products are so closely allied to those of New Zealand. SUPPORT OF BRITISH PRESS

'flip reciprocal trade demonstration lias received an exceptionally encouraging ,press and and the Staffordshire Evening Sentinel, the foremost journal of the Potteries, in a leading article; to-day, states: — “The bilateral trade agreements with certain foreign nations are very useful, |but the future of our overseas business is principally with Empire countries. The larger interchange of manufactures from Britain and produce and raw materials from the Dominions and colonies, making the Empire more and more self-contained and economically united, is essential and reciprocally advantageous. ’ ’ Subsequently, the Prime Minister and representatives of the Dairy Produce, 'Fruit and Meat Boards visited leading manufactories in the district, where they received Wither good wishes c f th£,.. jirincitlal. .representatives of the y ßriJjsb.. ppUe ry. tre de,