WELL ADVERTISED

Southland Times, Issue 22733, 8 November 1935, Page 5

WELL ADVERTISED

NEW ZEALAND MEAT IMPRESSIONS OF BOARD CHAIRMAN “I would like to mention how I found things in England as conditions there have a considerable bearing on our prices,” said Mr T. A. Duncan, chairman of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, in the course of his address to a meeting of Southland farmers yesterday. Mr Duncan returned recently from a visit to Great Britain where he supported Mr Coates in the meat negotiations between the two Governments, “I was very pleased with the general prosperity, particularly in the London and South of England areas, where things seem to be booming in many cases. Although there is considerable unemployment, principally in the manufacturing towns, still there are actually more people employed than ever before. This is accounted for by the increase in population in recent years. Our New Zealand lamb trade stands very high and our meat is well advertised both by our board and the retail trade. Butchers seem proud to advertise that they sell New Zealand lamb and I have no hesitation in saying that our lamb is the best advertised meat in the British Empire if not in the world. The pork trade is also well catered for ana our porkers are well thought of. They cut with a large portion of lean meat which suits the trade. Quality should be the one thing we should strive for. New Zealand motto should be ‘Quality and still more quality.” Wonderful Goodwill. In connection with the wide advertising of New Zealand meat, two things impressed Mr Duncan. “One is the wonderful goodwill we enjoy with the retail meat trade throughout the provinces,” he said. “In any of the leading cities we have window dressing competitions which attract very widespread interest among the butchers and public. I was present at Manchester and distributed the prizes after the competition closed. There were over 200 butchers and their wives present and I was very taken with the whole gathering, and the complimentary remarks made about the helpfulness of our board to their trade were so enthusiastic as to be almost embarrassing. “Another instance is the interest we are arousing in the younger generation. We distribute prizes for painting and drawing in the schools and at the prize-giving we give free cinema entertainments to the children, all with the object of creating interest in New Zealand meat. At many of these gatherings a thousand or more children attend, and at one in particular 5000 turned up to a hall that would only accommodate 2000 or a few over and we had to take the hall a second time for the disappointed ones. This form of advertising was most impressive.” In conclusion, Mr Duncan referred to the work of Mr Forbes and Mr Coates in London. Both being farmers they were most practical in their views and most pleasant to work with, he said. “To Mr Coates, who had the final fixing of the agreement, Mr Forbes having left for New Zealand, I give great credit for concluding the negotiations. His ability and practical knowledge stood out when the final decisions were made. Both Mr Forbes and Mr Coates deserve the thanks of every farmer in New Zealand for the very able manner in which they conducted our negotiations.” Mr Duncan was given a vote of thanks by acclamation on the motion of Messrs W. J. A. McGregor and D. Marshall.