The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, AUGUST 6.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 422, 6 August 1880, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, AUGUST 6.

The Timaru Herald has the following exceedingly pertinont rom-irks on the late Industrial Exhibition hold in Christchurch. We are convinced th.it the true remedy for the existing depression, lies in the direction pointed out by our contemporary viz, by support being accorded by the public at large to colonial manufactures in preference to imported articles. Wo make no further apology for "introducing the Herald's arguments to our readers :—

" The Exhibition of local industries at Christchurch has been a grand success, and is likely to lead to very desirable results. It was a grand success even as a show, for we bear that nearly 20,00U people went to see it, and that the Committee not only cleared all their expenses, but had a handsome surplus remaining. That, however, was the least important purpose of the Exhibition. Its main purpose was to let the public know what is really being done in tbe way of local industries, and to let those who are out of employment know what can be done, if men are really determined to earn an honest living.

One of the main reasons why local manufactures do not flourish more than they do, is hocaiißO those who are engaged in them have no means of introducing their productions into general consumption. The well-known English makers have an enormous advantage over them in this, respect. They hove had this market to themselves ever since the country was first settled. Their names are households words. Their brands are everybody. They advertise largely for next to nothing in every newspaper. They have agents in every town. Tho merchants push their business for them. The fancy of the public is all in their favor. Now, it is just this publicity that the local manufacturer needs above everything. He wants a fair trial for his goods. He wants the general consumer to know that he, has this that or the other ariicle for sale, and to buy it in preference to an inferior and perhaps a dearer imported article of precisely the same class. We hear a great deal about the prejudice against colonial goods hut wo do not think there is much in it. We believe that most people would just as soon use colonial goods as imported ones, it they could depend upon getting them as easily and as cheaply —that is to say of as good a quality at the same price. What they lack is confidence. They know that the ordinary brands of English goods are to be trusted ; but tbey do not know anything about the colonial goods, and they have no means of finding out anything* about them. Now it was just this much needed confidence in the products of colonial industries, that the Exhibition at Christchurch was calculated to inspire. There wore the colonial goods in almost endless variety, freely open to sight and touch and in somo cases to sample, and distinguishable at once from imported goods by their superior quality. The absurdity of buying imported good 3 at an exorbitant price, when colonial goods could be obtained at a reasonable price, was thus made strikingly apparent. For instance, a large quantity of linseed mpal is imported every year, necessarily of an inferior quality because linseed meal needs to be fresh to bo at its best. Here was linseed meal prepared from linseed sown in Canterbury, exactly like the imported article except in being quite fresh instead of four months old, and to be bought at a much less price. Farinaceous foods again, form a serious item of expense in families. Thoy are imported in small packages, and sold by chemists at about ten times their intrinsic value. Mothers and nurses have their '• peculiar wanities " in farinaceous foods. Some pin their faith to Liebig's, others swear by Neave's, whilst othors regard Barry dv Barry's Revalenta Arabica as the sheet anchor of the nursery. Very well—here in the Exhibition were all kinds of farinaceous foods, each brand in bulk by itself, made from exactly the same materials and in exactly the same way as the imported ones, only fresh and pure, and at a fourth of the price, We were glad to see, too, tbat the manufacturer of these had had a mind to popular prejudices, as well as popular interests. He had made up his farinaceous foods in packages, remarkably like those to be seen on any chemists shelves, only made of paste-bo«%rd by a local manufacturer. There is no reason in the world why Neave's or Liebig's food should not be bought by the pound, like sugar ; but if people prefer to have it in a neat little box which will stand in the nursery and be known for what it is by the appearance, then that is part of the business, and must be seen to by the local maker. Half the success, indeed, of many manufactures is attributable to the tempting manner in which they are made up for sale ; and the Exhibition was specially useful in bringing to notice the importance of studying the fancies of the public in this respect. There are of course, some industries where nothing of that kind is required, but they are very few. In the great majority of trades, the external form of the goods as sold, is almost as much thought of* as their quality. Thus wo saw pickles shown the other day nt 'the Exhibition, a hundred timi.rf better, more palatable and more wholesome than the acrid t-tale sickly abominations that are eagerly devoured becnuse they bear the celebrated name of Crosse and Blaekwell. These were

fresh and pure, and not being intended lo keep for years in all climates, but to be eaten withiu a y« ar or so of being made they were prepared in mild vinegar pleasant to tbe taste and not destructive of the coats of the stomach. Yet there iq no denying that they did not look half so nice as those trim, bright, many colored bottles of imported rubbish. They were clumsily sealed up, and labelled with white paper, plainly printed. Now labels and wrappers ought to form quite a separate line of business, pursued by cunning artists who study the little weaknesses of consumers, and know how to make each article appear at its best. This was rift doubt fully explained to our friend with the pickles, and his next batch will probably, be made presentable by the help of another exhibitor, namely, one of those very artists who apply their talents to getting up labels, and who displayed a case of excellent specimens not very far from the pickle stall. Here again the Exhibition was useful. It shewed one manufacturer where lie could get the aid of another, to the mutual benefit of both. It showed the public that if they choose they can get half the things at their own door which are at present imported for them and for which they, have to pay (1) the manufacturer, (2) tbe oxporter, (8) the shipper, (4) the Collector of Customs, (5) the Customs Agent, (6) the Bonded Warehouse Keepor, (7) the importer, and (8) the retailer. It showed them, moreover, that they can get these things made by colonists, for colonists, solid, sound, unadulterated and unbedevilled ; instead of made specially for the colonies," which means made as badly ai\d cheaply as possible, with an eye to a profit, not out ol the thing itself, but out of the numerous transactions through which it passes. •■.-.-'■ We hear that the Committee of the Exhibition have a considerable sum of money over, which they hardly know what to do with. They might do worse with it than publish a carefully-prepared catalogue of the articles exhibited, showing the price of each as compared ' with the price of . the imported article, and otherwise inculcating in the mind of the public the advantages to be gained by using colonial goods instead of im-? ported goods. The Exhibition itself, however, has unquestionably, done a great deal in that direction, and the public as well as the exhibitors are immensely indebted to the Committee, who took the matter in-hand with co little pretence or humbug, and carried it to a triumphant conclusion with, so much energy and good nature. We may be thought very small-minded for saying so, but upon our honor, we consider the Christchurch Exhibition of much more practical value to this colony that the grand displays st Sydney and Melbourne. And the best of it is that' it cost the public nothing, aud cleared- a good profit from the visitors' shillings, while the other affairs, will cost New Zealand alone about £5000 each, and one of them is bound to be a<? great a financial failure as the other was.