“WITHIN THE EMPIRE.”

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 8 October 1926, Page 4

“WITHIN THE EMPIRE.”

BUY BRITISH GOODS. LOCAL DISPLAYS, Practised buyers need no tolling that, in tlio main, British goods, the product of British workmanship, have no superior. Still, in the terrific international trade competition of the times,. when foreign exporting countries are straining every effort to penetrate all tho available markets of the world,' there exists a need to keep the fact well advertised, and to impress on British buyers that the purchase of. articles manufactured within British countries is all for the good of the Empire aa a whole. With this in mind, the New Zealand Drapers, Clothiers, and. Boot Retailers’ Federation very commeiidably organised a “trade. Within the Empire Week,” and, throughout the Dominion to-day, New Zealand .shoppers, are having ;ilieir attention especially directed to British goods, for the drapers, clothiers, anti boot retailer's in every centre are making an. outstanding feature of British goods in their window displays. .'■■/. In Timaru retailers have who'eheartedly extended their supports to the movement and all British windows are to be seen in a large number of those business connected with the Federation.

TI-1E OLD ORDER CHANGES i Time was when British manufacturers were accused or ail incurable conservatism uiid lack of enterprise. They were slow to deport on new or amended lines of manufacture; they, would not put themselves about to supply what they had not been in tho liamt of supplying; 'they argued that their goods had 'stood the test of time (and thus far tlicy were right), and they assumed a “take it or leave it” attitude, which liad a very irritating effect on their customers-and damaging results to themselves. Despite flic undoubted high qualities of British, manufactures, customers overseas knerv what they wanted to suit local conditions, anti if British manufacturers simply would not supply it; they began to refuse to accept what was offered, and to look to foreign sources to supply tlieir requirements., ■ THE NEW ATTITUDE.

Happily, the old attitude has changed. 'The Croat War and its 1 disastrous aftermath shook England out of apathy It showed that- the initiative, the resource, the organisation, and the generally tremendous and successful efforts she had made for 6upremack in war could ho applied to the gaining and retention of trado in times of peace. And after the war she went out after the trado she had lost, and the gaining of new markets. Her manufacturers no longer took up an unprofitable attitude of independence; they realised that to gain custom they would havo to supply what the customer required, wherever the customer , was—in tho same way that America.’ an<L Germany had realised it long, before. And now they are going on with all they can get to do, manufacturing the same sterling goods, with sterling British workmen, but with their ideas of the relative positions of seller and buyer considerably liberalised, and ready and willing to fulfil orders to requirements. And so tbero dawns a, new era for British trade, and the future looks bright. When ono looks around and considers the things that are used as necessaries and purchased as’luxuries by the public one is amazed at the infinite variety of articles with which our shops are stocked. And one may be equally amazed by the fact that the number of these things that are not or cannot be produced or manufactured in some part or other of the British Empire is infinitesimal. In fact it can safely bo asserted that there is.not one- essential of modern life that is not or. cannot bomade by Britishers in British countries.

BRITISH MANUFACTURES BEST. : It should be stressed that this campaign is more for the purpose of bringing home’ to the public that British manufactures are best, and reminding them that they are available for the buying than with , any idea of ousting foreign goods. For in respect to foreign goods there is a great deal qf misapprehension. As far as drapery, clothing and footwear are concerned, there is no foreign inundation; in faet, 05 per cent, of these goods in Timaru shops are of British origin, and it is a healthy fact, also, that a very considerable proportion of this percentage is of New Zealand manufacture. “There is really no groat demand for foreign manufactures, excepting in a few special lines,” said one retailer to day. “It can safely ho said that everything ; u the drapery, clothing and footwear line, and of the highest quality, can he made in British countries.. Some people arc under tho f%lse impression that wo wish in sell foreign goods because wc make more profit out of them than British goods. That is not so: wq make as much, or more, out of British goods. 1 It has to be remembered that there is a preferential, tariff in operation in this country, and that foreign goods nay a far higher duty than British. We prefer to trade with British goods, and it 1 pays the public to purchase them.”