ADVERTISING DOMINION.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15310, 10 August 1923, Page 2

ADVERTISING DOMINION.

GOVERNMENT PUBLICITY.

The' advertising of New Zealand, Special attention being given to Jts scenic attractions, is carried on very .•thoroughly, considering the small amount'expanded-upon it by the Publicity Office, originated by the Hon: G. J. Anderson, then Minister of Internal Affairs, in 1921, and since continued under his control by Mr H. T. B. Drew. In view of the limited finance, says 'the annual report of the Publicity Dc- ' partment, operations were at first eonfined almost exclusively to propaganda v abroad, but'quite a lot has since been done in New Zealand. The co-or-dination of the various Departments that formerly each conducted its own publicity campaign has tended to efficiency and lesser costs. The High Commissioner, Government agents in other countries, and the requests of private people from all over the world, i are attended to by the office, which keeps all records of persons making inquiries, and frequently is called on for information by people interested through the accounts of those who ' have been in the office in Wellington themselves,.'as visitors to the Dominion, the most valuable of advertise- , ment. The commercial -side of in- . quiries is well- attended to also, -and inquiries under this head receive every attention. An important function of the office is the cabling abroad of events within the Dominion, and all Dominion events bf note may be found in the Press of the United Kingdom, which, without further expense to the Dominion, ' reaches most other countries, while special articles are mailed. The extension of these services is being considered. . . The booklets and-tourist information in attractive form, which are disseminated by the- office, reach a very wide; public, and beside special scenic resorts they deal with the industries and activities of the Dominion as a whole. The whole of New Zealand is being mvered by the photographic and lsincpatosrraphic section of the office, which Has obtained the latest form of kinema apparatus, and an up-to-date studio had been completed. The most important, feature of the publicity produced by these varied activities is its effective distribution to the right people. Strange as it may ' appear, scenic films cannot be sent on the American circuits free, but arrangements have "been- recently made to allow of the inclusion of short portions of film in -gazettes" and "budgets" free 'of charge. More freedom is allowed In this respect in Britain, where special efforts are being made to introduce film in connection with the British ICmpire Exhibition. Advertising abroad, with estimates of the cost, is another work undertaken by the office.