NEW ZEALAND NOT ADVERTISED ENOUGH AT HOME.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18640, 18 December 1928, Page 10

NEW ZEALAND NOT ADVERTISED ENOUGH AT HOME.

“POSITION DISGUSTING,” SAYS MR A. I. RATTRAY. “ I do not think the Government advertise this country enough at Home,” said Mr A. I. Rattray, who returned to Christchurch this morning from a lengthy visit to Great Britain and the Continent. He declared that the position was absolutely disgusting. “Australia is advertised everywhere,” he said. “ The apple industry is the best asset that we have. I found our apples all the way to Belfast. But they do not advertise them.” Mr Rattray said that at Stirling he noticed two small boys who were selling apples on the railway station, and who were involved in a furious argument as to the respective merits of Australian and New Zealand apples. Finally they appealed to him, and he settled the argument by informing the boys that though Australian apples were very good, New Zealand apples came from God’s Own Country and therefore must be a little better 1

“ There is no doubt they do not advertise the products of this country half enough,” he said. “We have politicians here who say that advertising in England is a waste of money. It is not a waste of money, and it is a shame that things should be left as they ace. Everybody who goes Home notices it. Sit James Parr is a real live wire as High Commissioner, but he is handicapped by lack of funds. “ The people in this country have no idea of the. value of advertising the country at Home. You have got to go there to see. Wherever you go you see the Australian advertisements —‘Buy Australian apples,’ ‘ Buy Australian’ something else. They are on the trams and everywhere. We should have them. We should have little placards for the shop windows.” Mr Rattray looked round the Smithfield Market, which he described as a wonderful sight. He saw New Zealand mutton and beef there. Everyone gave Canterbury and New Zealand lamb great praise. The Argentine chilled beef struck him as looking very well. Large quantities of it were imported. New Zealand, he found, stood remarkably high in the opinions of the people at Home.