HOW THEIR INDUSTRIES ARE ENCOURAGED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2420, 27 March 1915, Page 26

HOW THEIR INDUSTRIES ARE ENCOURAGED

GERMAN TRADE CAPTURE EFFECT OF BOARD OF TRADE ACTIVITY We are all aware that there is much less unemployment in this country than was feared would follow in tbo. wake of tho war, remarks -'the London "Daily News." This is due in part to.:tho ■ needs of the war-'-'the exceptional output required of clothing, boots, foodstuffs, arms, ammunition, and the like, and is duo also in some measure to : tho organisation of labour which lias gone on steadily under the aegis of the Government. Few realise what steps have been taken. Some express misgivings and talk vaguely, of experiments in Socialism, and when challenged-to give an instance refer to the scheme to establish the manufacture of aniline dyes here. It is too soon to judge that scheme, and in the meantime attention might better be drawn to the other directions in which the Board of Trade lias assisted British manufacturers to capture Gorman trade. One of the first steps taken under Mr. Runciman's auspices was to set up a series of exchange meetings between merchants and manufacturers, ; and to procure samples of the products of different German industries, so that tho British- manufacturer should' both, seo and handle the actual goods made in Germany, and talk oyer with those engaged in the marketing of these goodstile possibility of making something approximating to them in quality and price. , These meetings'-were intended to be of a practical character, and invitations were, therefore, .confined to manufacturers, wholesale buyers, and shippers. Premises were .taken in Cheapside, the first meeting was held towards the end of September, and at intervals of about a fortnight excliango meetings had been held in connection with the toy . trade, glass, china, and earthenware, fancy goods, cutlery, electric plate and clocks, enamel ware, hollow. ware, tin, aluminium, and brush ware, jewellery, and haberdashery. The Toy industry. Tors were taken first, because there was a seasonal Christmas demand in view. The industry can be classified in certain special branches, such as mechanical, wooden, and metal toys, dolls, and soft-stuffed toys. It is well known, that, an enormous manufacture of toys' goes on at Nuremberg, where there aro groat toy factories. The difficulties confronting the manufacturer -in this country may be'illustrated by the manufacture of dolls, for which there aro separate industries—eyes, head, hair, and body haviiig to be -collected from different quarters. _ If we ever made china dolls' heads in this country, we have long lost the-art. Now,, however, .they are'being made'at. Stoko. . Pottery and Glass. . Tho pottery trade was next dealt with. There was a keen desiro among our iwtters to liiako a definite attack on German trade, aud 600 firms attended the meeting. In tile samples shown of German and . Austrian ; ware, which was all priced,- there was a : good deal of the ordinary cheap white and gold china, and prominent among the exhibits were.the. ornate shepherdesses and other china figures which .make their way to the mantelpiece •in so many humble homes. The-cheap -turn-i bier, glass produced in " Germany is not perhaps likely to be turned out here, though to this and the chemical glass attention has been directed. But t'hat More is a good field for our enterprise was .tquickly grasped, and a subsidiary exhibition was arranged at Stoke by the industry itself as a direct result of the exchange'meeting in London. The manufacturers felt it was important to all the interests concerned that their workpeople should see for themselves what German competition was. - v ' !■■ With the permission of: Mr:; Ru'iiciman the show' was'described as being under the Board of Trade, and representatives of the Department attended the meetings, which were open for nearly, a week. They were'visited by hundreds of the working potters, who were much surprised at .the cheap pricos of the German In- this way the work people, masters, and officials were all brought together, with results of a practical character. The manufacturers saw what goods they had to compete with; "and their -workpeople, for their part-, .gave an assurance of their co-operation in the ' campaign against the German trade. Fanoy Cootta and Jewellery. The fancy goods trade was -found to bs very largely in German hands. All the frames used in-makiiig ladies' bags came from Germany, and all the metal fittings for vanity cases, and among other things, little mirrors, work-bask-ats, and fancy, /paper goods. In cutlery we have a reputation for quality, while the Germans have a large trade in cheap scissors, razors, and knives, some of which are very inferior articles. It is no use our making knives which will double up, even .to get German trade, but there is a certain trade , to be-got in tho Dominion's, particularly South Africa, for cheap and showy cutlery which is not necessarily durable.- -There are indications that attention- has been turned to these markets, although our oot-lery trade, of course, is very full with Government orders at present. We have tli? bulk of the trade, in the bright electro-plate, but the Germans have made a speciality of a dull electroplate which has artistic finish and has a vogue, particularly in South- Amorica. Many samples of this were shown, and our manufacturers • were greatly interested in it. The jewellery exchange meeting, was also very successful. In addition to'a large range of samples of cheap jewellery selling in the.,. Home market, the Board of Trade were able to obtain samples of German high-class gold and platinum jewellery and-de-signs. The display was of more' than ordinary interest to the Birmingham jewellery trade. It is tho intention of the board to hold exchange.meetings in the electrical accessories, textile, stationery, and printing trades. It would be another feather in the; cap of the Department if they could help to introduce in _ thiscountry a iiral to the famous Leipzig. Fair. At that Fair, which is held in the spring and autumn manufacturers exhibit their goods and novelties, and the buyers place large orders for the coming six mouths, thus enabling the manufacturer to map out his work and keep his workpeople well employed. A.P.N.