NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9254, 5 June 1908, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND INDUSTRIES.

. « j DISPLAYED IX CHRISTCHURCH. AX INTERESTING SUCCESS OF THE MOVEMENT. The first New Zealand Industries Week in Christchurch made a successful commencement yesterday. In shop windows in the chief thoroughfares of the city there are now splendid samples of the country's resourcefulness and enterprise. The exhibition, of course, is spread over a wide area. It would be a great undertaking for a citizen to go into the streets with the object of seeing all the displays in one day. On the other hand, he cannot go far in the centre of the city without having some colonial goods brought under his no* tice. It was shown yesterday that a valuable exhibition can be held with- J out erecting a palatial building and employing large armies of men and women to attend to details of management. The present exhibition is inexpensive, but it is effective both as an advertisement for local goods and as a means of educating the people to the value of manufactures made in their own country. Local manufacturers have endeavoured for years to break down the prejudice against the products of their factories. They find that, although it is not as pronounced! as it was some years ago, it still exists, and it is hoped that the New Zealand Industries Week will help largely to have it completely removed. The Canterbury Industrial Association, which has placed the scheme in operation, intends to have a similar exhibition every year, and it is believed that future efforts will be more successful than the present one. At the end. of this week the Association will be in a bettor position to know how the most effective displays can be made. The few days' experience it will possess when the week has ended, on Wednesday, will be very valuable. It is felt, for one thing, that the beginning of winter is not the best time for holding an exhibition of this nature. A suggestion thrown out by Mr J. A. Frostick seems to meet with general acceptance. He points out that the streets are more frequented, and the shop windows' attract more attention, in the summer months. He suggests that New Zealand Industries Week and Carnival Wook might go hand-in-hand. The city throws itself onen to visitors from all parts. of the dominion at the Carnival, and it would be an appropriate occasion on which- to show what the . manufacturers are dcincr. Wellington and Auckland are holding their local exhibitions now on the same plan as Christchurch. Sentimentally, there is a good deal to be said for this arrangement ; but it has its drawbacks, as it prevents a large interchange of displays between the cities and Mr Frostick also suggests that it might be worth Avhile to consider a proposal to use future Industries Weeks as a fitting means of celebrating Anniversary Days in the different provinces. The exhibitions would then clearly mark the progress made, as people's minds would revert from the manufacturers' displays to the time when the provinces had no goods of their own to show. Another recommendation for Mr Frost ick'« second proposal lies in the fact that instead of the dominion's goods being shown only one week in fifty-two, they would be shown in different parts of New Zealand at intervals nearly all through the year, and public interest would be sustained. The principal displays in Christchurch can be roughly divided into things to wear and things to eat. The great industries of the dominion are represented in those utilitarian classes. The three large New Zealand woollen mills, which have displays m different parts of the city, make a magnificent show. Wellington and Otago unite Avith Canterbury. Each province should feel proud of its own product in this direction, and proud of its New Zealand 1 - competitors. The public of Christchurch have hardly forgotten the displays made by the captains of this industry at the recent International Exhibition, but much that is new can be learnt from the show made in the shop windows this week. The extent to which the woollen industry is carried on in New Zealand is shown by the variety of articles manufactured. There is practically everything that can be made from wool, ranging from hosiery to rugs, blankets and suits. The quality of the work is demonstrated in the finish of the goods. The boot and shoe manufacturers have not come forward in large numbers, but there are some very fine productions. The range extends from men's heaviest boots to ladies' dainty, thinsoled, soft-leathered shoes. An attempt

has been made to introduce the system of specialisation Mito the manufacture of boots and 6hoes in Christchurch, but it has not made very notable progTess as yet, and the manufacturers are under some disadvantage on account of the variety of " makes" they handle. In regard to things to eat, the two local frozen meat companies, of course, are at the head of the list. They have been given shop windows in good positions, and their _ towers and pyramids of tinned meats make attractive shows. Probably the prettiest display in the city is made by a confectionery factory, which has secured the use of the large windows of a firm of tea merchants. An exhibit of pickles, sauces, and other preserves is also very attractive. The biscuit factories in -both vChristchurch and Dnnedin have sent in good, samples of their workj and the. bacon-curing industry in Canterbury is well represented. Amongst the other industries that have been established in Christchuroh. are furniture-making, cabinet-making, upholstering and allied industries, range-making, boiler-making, engineering, the manufacture of electrical appliances, brushware and implement making. With most of these the public is well acquainted, and it has been well educated to the excellent work done. But there are many industries which the citizens will be surprised to learn have reached fairly large dimensions in Christchurch in a- few years. They Avill be most surprised, perhaps, at the display in the window of a publishing firm. " It is filled with many large handsomely-bound, well-illustrated books, which have been written on New Zealand subjects by New Zealand authors. There are not many people who know that the making of straw hats is carried on in Christchurch. mere is in one street a jeweller's shop that is a blaze of gold, silver, and precious 6tones, representing exquisite colonial workmanship. Blinds, spices, boot-polishes, and all kinds of brass fittings are shown in the windows with "local industries" cards on them. A chemist shows nis cures «nd his pills. A photographer has filled his window with photographs of babies. He announces that these are " New Zealand's most valuable product and asset." He also displays the Industrial Association's printed card, with its appeal to the public, concluding with the words, in capital letters, "Do Your Part," which, with his display behind it, has a very striking emphasis. The lighted side of the exhibition is represented by the photographer's next door neighbour, a land-agent, who announces that he has New Zealand land for sale. Although the scheme has only had a beginning, its promoters feel that its success is assured. Mr F. E. Jones, president of the Industrial Association, when seen by a reporter last evening, said that he was more than satisfied with the response made to the Association's appeal. The number of shops placed at the Association's disposal had not been sufficient to meet the demands, and several manufacturers had to be loft out of the exhibition on that account. That, was the most serious trouble. He had not had time to frit spect all the displays, but those which he had seen had convinced him of the value of the movement. Members of the Association, as well as other citizens, had expressed their surprise at the large number of local industries which, J apparently , had now " been brought to light for the first time. It was proposed that a committee of the Association should make an inspection of the displays and draw up a report on the Avhole exhibition. The Association would learn a great deal from the effort it was making now, and although the value of the scheme had been demonstrated, next year the exhibition would be on a much larger scale, and would be better in several respects. Other prominent citizens endorsed the president's remarks, and said that the Industrial Association had inaugurated a valuable public movement. The arrangements have been pushed along rather hurriedly, and the notice given to shopkeepers and manufacturers has hardly been sufficient. This is one of the matters that will be attended to on future occasions. From the public's point of view, the wide distribution of the displays if a weak point. To remedy this, it irs suggested that some kind of a guide might be printed, showing .the positions of the shops in which the displays are made. Arrangements have been made for the committee to meet at 5 p.m. to-day at Messrs Ridley and Co.'s corner, Manchester Street. It will inspect the displays, commencing with the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association's stores in Cashel Street. The following ere the firms exhibiting: — Kincaxd s window : Canterbury Frozen Meat Co. and Hayward Brothers. Warden's window: Aulsebrook and Co. F. A. Cook's window:, Hudson and Co. and Irvine and Stevenson. A. Billchff's window: Thompson and Hill and Murray, Limited. Sergeant and I Wilson's window: T. H. Gree-n and Co. and Parsonson and Sons. A. Young (Richmond) : Chrystall and Co. Thomas Harris: Trent Brothers. D. Gow: Williamson and Co. and W. Langdown. J. Mannings (Addington): Brown and Sons. W. K. Morrison: J. Thomx^son and Atlas Confectionery Co. B. W. Harris (Sydenham) : Chrystall and Co. Mason, Struthers: Bunting and Co. Pe-ter-sen and Co.: Own goods. John Thornton: ZeaJandia Boot Co. Chisnall and Stewart: Wellington, Woollen Co. and Abbey Boot Polish Co. Strange and Co.: Kaiapoi Woollen Co. Beath and Co.: Wellington Woollen Co. ,'A. P. Carey: Roslyn Woollen Co. and Wellington Woollen Co. W. Congreve: Bunting and Co. English Bros.: Boon and Co. Christchurch Meat Co.: Own goods. Hulberfc and Co.: Vere and Son L. Bloy: Cardwell Ink Co Kidley and Son; Atlas Confectionery Co. H. Pannell: Own goods and All Black Boot Polish Co. J. Hall and Co. : Christchurch Meat Co. J. Hearfield: Wellington Woollen Co. Tribe and Co.: Wellington Woollen Co. New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association: Wellington Woollen Co. R. A. Gill (Sydenham): Wellington Woollen Co. Scott Bros. : Own goods. Anderson's, Limited: Own goods. Price and Son: Own goods. Taylor and Oakley: Own goods. The following shopkeepers have agreed, during the currency of Industries Week, to display only New Zealand manufactured goods in their windows: — Colombo Street — J. Berry, Bradley Brothers, R. A. Peard, J. M. Mitchell, H. W. Reynolds, Clark and Proctor, Tribe and Co., Gill and Co., F. Smith, W. H. Harris. Kenneth Malheson, T. P. Spratt, Large and Allen, C. E. Gibbons. Wickes, Limited, Elizabeth Hanlcy, Edward Gee, W. | Thompson, Mrs L. Palmer, E. H. Hewish and Ballantyne and Cp. ; High Street — | Strange and Co., Jones 'and Sons, Simpson i and Williams, John Thornton, L. Browning, W. R. Cook, E. Hill, Fisher and Son, Miss F. Phipps, Lawrence and Kircher, Bell Bros 1 ., George Bonnington; Cashel Street — Ballantyne and Co., Hastie, Bull and Pickering, H. Berry and Co., Charles Barnard, J. Logic. Whitcombe and Tombs, G. Shaw and Co., J. Harris, J. Patcrson; Manchester Street— W. Bassett and Co., J. G. Shrimpton, J. W. Dollan, Crown Iron Works, F. H. East, W. A. Poison, C. Pannell and Co., R. Pannell; Armagh Street— G. Vc-Te and Sons; Victoria Street— F. King and Co., M. Foster, T Cocks and Sons; Cathedral Square— Wheelei and Co.; Durham Street— R. H. Turner.

of the displays, particularly of blankets, rugs and woollen goods of various kinds are excellent, while in other branches of industry goods are shown in a profusion and variety quite surprising to many people. It is expected that the exhibition will have a good effect both in demonstrating to the public the quality of articles made in the country and in promoting a patriotic spirit that will encourage local manufacture s.