Plenty of Toys This Christmas

Chronicle (Levin), 20 December 1949, Page 4

Plenty of Toys This Christmas

During the course of his business tours in the North Isfand, the presideat of the New Zealand Toy ..Manufacturers ' Federation, Mr H-. J . Underwood, of NeW 'Plymouth, has had an opportunity of inspecting at lirst liand ' some of the toys that the members of the federation havejnade for sale d-ur- = mg this Christmas period. "I knew of our members' plans for the production of a wider range ot toys this year, ' ' he said, ' ' but not un- ' til" 1 eame to see them arrayed in the various shops over the past few weeks, ! did 1 appreciate the full outcome of - their efforts. " From reports reeeived by the federation from other centres it was eertain there' would be* no shortage at all this Christmas. In fact the customer could make a disrcriminate choice of the wide variety now olfering and be sure of obtaining just the toy desired by his- children. It seemed, Mr Underwood pointed out, that i'ew New Zealanders realised the extent of their local toy industry. ■- It had reached the stage where it had become a major industry fully serving the needs of the people. It was, of , course, realised that Hornby trains and such-like complex mechanical toys ' could not yet be made and the federation did not oppose their importation. Other mechanical toys such as miniature racing cars, pedal cars and trieycles were all being made nere and Mr Underwood told of the industry 's expansion programme for next year, which would gi.ve an even greater range and variety. He illustrated the eeonomie position of the industry by quoting the factnry selling value of toys that had gone on • to the market this year. The figure was sligiitly in excess of £750,000. All the toys he had seen on his inspection— sott dolis and terfdy bears, plastic play things, rocking horses, rubner animals and'. bal'ls, seooters, cap guns, cars, model aeroplanes, dolls' prams and' a Frost of otliers — all showed a vast iniproveirient in nuniber of mociel's and types and. were of a very high quality. This, he said, was attributable to> tlie greater niechanisation now possibie by the better availability of tho right types ,ot raw uiaterials and machinery. "That the programme for this year , has been successfully carried 'chrough .s a tribute to the skill, entliusiasm and iiLergy of managenient' and workeis alike, who will continme to* serve the .public by delivering the goods," Mr ' Underwood coitcluded.