PUBLIC OPINION

Southland Times, Issue 21178, 3 September 1930, Page 14

PUBLIC OPINION

THE CARNIVAL SPIRIT. To The Editor. Sir, —For weeks past I have been looking forward to the great Industries Week being under the impression I was to have May Fair fun. Last night I went up town (luckily I wasn't wearing a fancy costume —I might have been run in if I had) —and was disgusted to see how dead the place was. People strolled up and down the streets as sedately as a funeral and beyond the few interesting shop-win-dows and the mannequin parade, there was nothing to interest one or provide the least amusement. Last May Fair was miles ahead of this and if the “great” week continues to be as stale, I am sure next year will find people entirely lacking in interest in the event. What is the committee doing? Can't they organize some jollification this week? If I were chairman, I’d fine everyone 6d. for going up town without a fancy costume. Invercargill will become a very dead city if we don’t have a little fun say once a year. I do hope the committee will wake up and make Invercargill a little lively for the third time in the last six years. —I am, etc, "VERY DISAPPOINTED.” CRITICISM AND ANSWER. To the Editor. Sir. —Sir Charles Fergusson in his farewell address to the people of New Zealand said "May I make this appeal to you to give preference to New Zealand goods? Failing New Zealand goods, buy British goods, and • failing British goods, Empire goods.” Readers, I ask you how much of this advice is being put into effect this week by a certain section of the committee controlling the local industries week. For sheer hypocrisy the show given in the theatre on Monday and Tuesday takes a lot of beating. Under the cloak of a charitable, institution a great advertisement is made by one or two firms and the public are asked to listen to such talk as we have to endure from the itinerant showmen who frequent our A. & P. Shows. Mere showmen s tactics. How much of the real sentiment of local industries week are these firms showing to the public. Just prior to this week a walk along Kelvin or Esk Streets would disclose to the passer-by whole shop windows of a certain draper’s establishment full of foreign goods—not even British or Empire goods, burely this is not heeding the advice of Sir Charles Fergusson. Furthermore this advertising "stunt” in- the theatre displayed American cars—purely Yankee goods—exhibited under the pretence that because the vehicles were assembled in New Zealand, this made them New Zealand goods. Why, all cars are assembled in New Zealand more or less, and whereas this American concern assembles their cars and trucks in one central factory thereby securing more profit for the American manufacturer, British cars are assembled in the towns where they are sold, thereby carrying out the true spirit of local industry. The camouflaging of Yankee goods is being carried too far and it is time that the people of New Zealand realize the fact or else we shall find ourselves in the grip of American firms. If these displays given in the theatre represents the sentiments of those, business men responsible for it in regard to industries week, then all I can say is that they think the people of Invercargill are easily gulled.—l am etc, ANTI-YANK. MR SMITH’S REPLY. The letter was referred to the chairman of the New Zealand Industries Week Committee (Mr J. W. Smith). “I am astounded and amazed at the contents of the letter,” said Mr Smith, “and only a bigot could have written it. Every article in the windows is made or partly made in the Dominion. Every article shown in the mannequin parade was a 99 per cent. New Zealand production. If the writer can come along and prove his assertions I shall gladly hand over £lOO to any institution the editor of the Southland Times will name, or to the Plunket Society. lam sorry there is an individual so dead to the progressive movement of the day and his attitude is far from in keeping with the movement of the times. He would be well advised to sign his name to anything he is proud of and I can hardly believe that a British subject would write such a contemptible letter.”