GERMAN METHODS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2420, 27 March 1915, Page 30

GERMAN METHODS

IN THE ALUMINIUM TRADE. I German manufacturers of alumiuiujn; war© were for some years prior to tlio war doing a good trade witn New Zealand aim other British colonies, and the cheap lines they turned out seemed to indicate tliat tiiey could sell" below tho iSnglish rate. Hut tlio < German firms had been resorting to many; wicks which made their articles of ai vastly inferior quality to those turned out, by English firms. Messrs. Frederick Braby and Co. are looked up to as one of the standard aluminium waremakers, and their agent in New Zealand, Mr. A., A. Stichlmry, showed to a JJoiiixiON reporter several instances of Gorman trade methods. In one case a standard Braby's "Eclipse" No. 20, li-iuch stewpan was taken, and compared with a German stewpan listed us tho samo quality. ■ In the English make the metal was i-ltiin. gauge at the top, where the public could see it, and the same gauge was maintained right throughi the article. In the German article, also listed as l-16in, gauge, metal tapered off to 22 wire! gauge, which was much thinner and of inferior quality. To a buyer not looking for this duplicity, the 3oz. difference in wejght would escape notice, and as tho thinness of the Gornian ware on the bottom, the part exposed to the fire, could not be seen, the purchaser of the German ware might think ha was' securing a cheaper article. In a very short time-'the inevitable result would be that the cheap, thin aluminium would be burnt through, whereas the standard English make will last a lifetime. Mr. Stichbury says that there is a field for a big trade in New Zealand, and English goods wjil predominate it from henceforth. Foreign makes might be cheaper in-price, but theyare. not of the quality to stand comparisoa with the English goods. Another thing he pointed out in connection with the bulk of German. aluminium pots was that they were constructed, of spun aluminium, whereas the British' goods are stamped out of the sheet.', The spun ware, owing to its excessive lightness,, has to be built up, otherwise it would fall to pieces. As an instance' of what British makers are doing it is worth noting that Messrs. Braby's, Ltd., are puttiug down a very extensive plaut to cope with large opi ders which have come in since,the Gcr--man articles have been cut' out. The cheap quality of the Gorman stuff will not bo supplied, but all the more attractive designs will bo mado by British workmen in a British factory. It is quite certain that in this lino of manufacture the English makers will be able to meet all demands, and there, should be 110 excuse for tho public buying tho German article. . \ ;. On another line, Mr. Stichbury alsoi spoke with authority, namely, the question of confectionery. Foreign makeß of sweets, particularly Austrian and German, have been making some headway on the New Zealand market, and certainly the attractive way in which they were got up assisted their sale. But the point is that English manufacturers, who, of course, have held the bulk of the trade, can turn out the high-class goods, of guaranteed purity, and as attractively got up as the foreign confections. The manner in which the demand for sweets has held lip since the war opened has been remarkable, said Mr. Stichbury, and the sale's of rascall's goods for January and February of this year exceeded the sale duping the corresponding months of last year, when the effects of the strike seemed to be more *felfc than the war is now being felt.