BRITISH MADE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2700, 21 February 1916, Page 7

BRITISH MADE

PATRIOTIC EXHIBITION IN WELLINGTON GETTING READY FOR THE TRADE WAR OPENING CEREMONY AT THE TOWN HALL The' Patriotic Exhibition, which is being held in Town Hall this week, was opened on Saturday afternoon by tho Prime Minister (the Bight Hon. W. Massey). The , proposal that such an exhibition should be held originated with tho Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce, and : the arrangements have been carried through by members of that body, assisted by tho Wellington Provincial Industrial Association. The aim was that the exhibition should be educational, and cue of the ideas was that if possible British and German goods j should be displayed in juxtaposition, in order that people might be able to oompare their quality, and also to distinguish German goods when such were offered to them. This idea had to be abandoned, however, because no exhibitors would admit that they had

ever stocked German goods, and 110 one was anxious to show German goods. The exhibition is still an advertisement for goods of British manufacture, and a reminder to oonsumers that after the war it will be their duty to buy only British goods.

The show ia a modest one, but still an important an interesting display of goods. Air the floor space of the Town Hall is fully occupied, and there are exhibits also in the gallery. All sorts of traders are represented, and many of them have made really ambitious displays of their goods. There are a few exhibits which are not purely commercial. Best of these is, the show made bv the Wellington Technical School of the work of bovs and girls heing trained in the arts and crafta. Hie Tourist Department makes a display of pictures, and the Defence Department have on view various war trophies, and a rack full .of old rifles showing tho evolution of the Lee-Enfield. The trophies . include a two-barrelled .Nordenfeldt gun of an old pattern taken from th'e Turks, a- vary rudely fashioned Turkish bonibthrower, and a more powerful and better made French mortar. One of the most interesting of tho exhibits is a maohine-gun, made in the Petone Railway Workshops. The gun is apparently an' exact copy of the ordinary type of service Maxim, and tho workmanship is good. Another interesting exhibit js that of a complete wireless installation, of the strength usually supplied to. ships, by Amalgamated "Wireless (Awstralasia), Ltd. _The exhibition is free, and once inside visitors are not importuned to buy things they do not want. One can spend an hour in tho exhibition very agreeably, looking round the stalls; and every afternoon and evening platform items or one sort and another have been arranged for "the entertainment of visitors.

OPENING SPEECHES HUNS' PUSHFTTLNESS IN THE ' PAST. The Mayor (Mr. J.. P. Luke) preuded at the opening ceremony. He oongratulated the Central Chamber of Commerce on the work they had done m organising the exhibition, and expressed his earnest hope that the British people would not>forget tho lessons of thenwar. when the, period of trade war_ arrived* after the cessation of hostilities. Mr. Luke invited the Prime Minister. to open the exhibition formally. Mr. Massey said that' he had accepted the invitation gladly because he understood that the object of the exhibition was patriotic—to prove, if proof ; were necessary, that we have withm our colony or within our everything we require, even to the oxtent of luxury. Grievous as the war was, it would have one good effect m making the people determined to have no dealings with Germany. We knew now perfectly well that for many years past Germany had envied Great Britain her woildf-wide trade- and commerce. Germany had, by a system of bonuses on exports and) of subsidies to shipping unes, been endeavouring with some success to .cut into this trade. In the five years preceding {She war the exports of had increased enormously. In 1909 Germany exported goods to the va ue of £343,000,000. In 1913y the value of her exports was £610,000,000 on increase of £107,000,000, or nearly 60 per cent, m five years. He had no oubt that a great deal of this increased trade was done with British countries. Wo one could say yet what conditions would obtain after the war, but British people were all of one mind on this that they would never again allow Germany to regain the commercial position she occupied in British countries prior; to the war. Everybody realised now that during the many long years when Germany was preparing for the war, the war that was to smash Britain, Germany was partly financing her enormous undertakings out of profits made by trading with the countries she intended to attaok.

But Never Again. Was this piece of history going to repeat itself? He ventured to say we should never allow anything of the sort .to happen. The sentiment of this country was that never again , should Germany be allowed to occupy the position »he held prior to 1914. One effeot of the war had been to unite the'different parts of the Empire more closely than ever before. A great British Court had said that the Constitution of Britain had "broadened down from precedent to precedont.'' Precedents were heing created bv the war now going,on; and he had no hesitation in' predicting that after i .the war a change in tha Constitution would! bo necessary, because the Dominions, by their acttion in this war, had | proved their right to a voice in the affairs of the Empire as a wholo, and he ventured to say that that right would not be denied them. They had proved -, their attachment to the Empire and the United Kingdom by tho severest of all tests ever applied to the nation. After the' war there would be many problems , to be solved, some of them problems of very great importance. He could not gay whether after tho war Britain would ' bn ablo to keep her Free trade policy, ; but he oould say that, it would he possible for every part of the Empire to give trade preference to every other part of the Empire. (Applause.) It would be possible for us to do our business with our own fellow subjects, and with our Allies, and' it would be possible ) to olose our doors against our present • enemies. (Applause.) New Zealand had already done just a little in this direction. On tho passing of an Order-in-Council enemy goods could be made liable to a duty of 50 per cent., and he could assure the people of New Zealand that after the war there would be no difficulty _ ahout bringing the Order-in-Gquncil into operation. (Hear, hear.) Britain, a great manufacturing country, took everything Now Zealand could produce, charging no Customs duties. Surely we could do a. little in return for what Britain did for us.

How V/e Have Prospered. • Our trade with Britain in recent years had been increasing enormously. 11l 1912 our total exports were worth 21? millions, and the excess of exports oyer imports was £794,000. In 1913 we exported from this country 23 million

pounds worth of good's, and the balance in our favour was £698,000. In 1914 we exported produce to the value of 26J millions, and ths balanco in our favour reached the total of £4,405,351. In 1915 we exported 31J millions worth, and the balance in our favour reached the enormous'total of £10,020,000. These figures accounted for our present prosperity, and they were made possible by tho fertility of Mir soil and tho industry of our population. In the present year, if ships were available, he had no doubt that wo should bo able to improvo on the record of last year. Unfortunately, there was a tremendous demand for ships in tho northern hemisphere, and this was affecting us hero. Some people said, perhaps rightly, that after the present war there would be a ivar of commerce. He knew that since the war began several prominent German public men had expressed the opinion tn.it some of the terms cf peace must be an open.door to Germany in the Allies' markets, and the "freedom of the seas." He hoped' and believed that Germany would not have an opportunity of insisting upon any one of tlieso conditions. (Applause.) The British people liad made'up their minds to win this war, and they were going to do it, and if they won this war, he did not think they need have any fears as to the trade war "to follow. Empire Needs Men. But if we were to win, then all over the Empire there must he a sufficient number of reinforcements, and a sufficient quantity of supplies forthcoming, and it was a 1 proud thought for us hero that New Zealand had done, and would be able to do in future, its full share in the way of furnishing reinforcements and Supplies. (Applause.) Up till the present date nearly 50,000 Nijw Zealanders had taken up arms for "the Empire. No one would have thought that possible a couple of years ago. Somo 37,000 of the pick of our population had left the Dominion under arms, and a little more than 12,000 men were in camp undergoing training now. In addition to these a large number of New Zealanders had volunteered in England, ■and some had cone from here to join the Imperial Army. Four hundred nurses have gone from New Zealand to the front to look'after the well-being of Jur soldiers. (Applause.)

At any Cost—Our Pledged Word. From now on until tlio end of the war New Zealand has entered into an obligation with the Imperial Government. We had agreed to send 2500 men per month. He believed this obligation would be honoured, and that the people of New Zealand would back up the New Zealand Government in what they had done. (Applause.) There were some people of opinion that as much as was possible had been achieved under tho voluntary system, and that compulsion would be necessary. "Let me say this,"' Mr. Massey continued, "I hope it will not be necessary. And I Bpeak as a believer in national service. Hie war has made me a strong believer in' national service, and I believe that in every part of the Empire' every young man who is physically fit should be compelled to undergo training in case he should ho called upon to servo the Empire as a soldier. While the European nations are armed to the teeth, the British Empire cannot afford to have these nations within striking distance of the heart of the Empire, and remain unprepared. I say it is unwise, while the present 6tate of things exists, to depend almost altogether on the voluntary system. If the voluntary system fails now, it will be necessary for the Government, with tho consent of the citizens, to adopt some form of conscription. I hope it will not be necessary, because when I go about I see many thousands of young men. I don't say they can all go; I don't say ; they ..can all.leave their dependents ' . but'l do flay that'the're'are ; many thousands of young men who are not kept here by their dependents, and who ought to be at the front. Borne have told me they are waiting for compulsion. There is compulsion now! They are being compelled by the force of public opinion, a force that is not humiliating. But what will happen if they are forced into the ranks—l 'speak figuratively— forced into the ranks at the point of the bayonet? . . . I hope that a sufficient supply of young men will be available to keep our reinforcements going." Mr. Massey congratulated the promoters of ' the Exhibition. He hoped that it would only be the forerunner of a bigger and greater show—a national exhibition—of goods and products from every part of the Empire. He had pleasure in declaring the Exhibition open. (Applause.)

Things We May Do. Sir Joseph Ward also congratulated the promoters of the Exhibition upon their timely efforts. It would be no use after the war was over to'try to get ready to meot the altered conditions. The time to prepare was now, while the war was still going' on, while our- brave men were still fighting for the .victory that was to be ours, and it was our business to prepare to make it impossible for our enemies ever again to get into a position such as they have held for the last twenty-five years. Work similar to that being done by the Patriotic Exhibition Committee was being done, in different parts of the Empire. Chambers of commerce wore already actively'at work. An emissary of the London Chamber of Commerce visited- New Zealand recently, asking us to co-operate to prevent enemy goods from coming into the country. New Zealand was prepared ; to do everything necossary to keep German goods" out of this country. There were two or three effective ways iu which New Zealand could help. He would be in favour of giving all harbour boards power by Aot to differentiate in the matter of port duos against ship's of enemy countries, when thoy come here carrying enemy goods. (Applause.) Great Britain should prevent enemy ships from using British ports as coaling stations. If we followed these methods the Germans would very soon not be able to do as they had been doing for some years—shipping pianos from Hamburg through London-to New Zealand at lower rates than British pianos could be shipped from England. In 1914 tha value of goods of German origin coming to New Zealand was over a million sterling, and we sent exports to Germany worth nearly half a million. Last year we sent £4 worth. The Suez Canal-was owned by Britain and France, and as an investment it paid about 30 per cent, per annum. He would urge that Groat Britain and Franco should not allow any enemy country to havo the use of the Canal at the same rate as they _ allow their own ships to use it. Britain shoiild bo ready for at least "a decent spirit of wmmercial retaliation."

Much Still to Do. "Happily for the commercial interests, happily for tho workers' interests, happily for the professional interests, tho finanoial position of this country today is not only strong and sound, but it is magnificent. I say this because there are many duties yet devolving upon the National Government, and I bclievo only a National Government can do them. For this reason pinpricking against tho National Government iu tho war 'crisis ought not to be tolerated until the National Government has dono its work. (Applause.) Remember, there is an enormous amount of work yet to be done by the

National' Govornmont _ to assure f hoi young strength of this young Dominion. It is only fifty years since trade. Tn this country commenced I ,It Is of Tmmense importance now that we should have a solid, sound financial fabric nere, for no one can say what obligations wo may yet have to undertake."

Sir Joseph Ward expressed hi* colli' pleto inurement with th# Idea of the

promoters of the Exhibition —that after ilie war wo should do our best to foster trade within the Empire, that we should trado witli our Allies in next preference, and that under no circumstances should we trade with Germany, Austria, or Turkey. (Applause.)

31r. G. M. Luke, President of the Central Chamber of Commerce, also spoke briefly. He would make bold to say that the exhibition would achievo its object, he said, by directing public attention to the need for trade within the Empire. This war was not being fought for territory, but for commercial supremacy, and just as the Dominions and the Mother Country liad been cemented together by this war, so in the trado 'war to follow the constituent parts of tho British Empire would be bound more sccuroly together. '

Remarks by the New Trade Commissioner. Mr. It. W. Dalton, British Trade Commissioner in New Zealand, delivered an interesting address. "1 kid not been hero many hours," he said, "before people began to complain to nio that English manufacturers were expressing inability to deliver their goods, or to quote firm prices for forward delivery. It has been my duty lately to travel throughout the wiiole of the United Kingdom, endeavouring to ensure supplies for war purposes. We liavo heard so much ahout guns and munitions that many people have had the idea that guns and munitions are the only things necessary to provide for a.'war. But wlion you remember that wo have raised in Euglajid some millions of troops, and that these have all had to bo equipped, you can understand that nearly every manufacturer is engaged in producing goods for war purposes only. It is an unfortunate circumstance, but it is true, that just now, when the Empire buyers are more prepared thau ever to buy British goods, manufacturers aro unable to supply the demands. It is a matter of great concern to manufacturers. We don t know what wo are going to do about our trade. We are losing it right and left, but the manufacturers aro of one mind in this—lose it or not, tlioy will first supply the Admiralty and the War Office. The Admiralty and the War Office are the biggest buyers in England now, and whether a man makes toys, or glass, or pianos, or whatever he makfis, he is adapting his works to produce war requirements. And the manufacturers are losing by 'selling to the War Office I I do not moan to say that they are not making a profit, hut they are not making such a large profit as they could make by exporting their stuff in the ordinary way. Apart from the need for providing for war supplies, there are other difficulties. Labour is scarce. That goes without saying. Manufacturers have given up their regular men. to fight for their country, and. have filled their places with girls and ineligible men. The prices of raw materials fluctuate day by day. Tako as an instance one product 6old in England before the war at £28 per ton. I know of two sales made recently, one at £150 a ton and tlio other at £220 a ton. Would you as business men ask any manufacturer to quote you a firm price for three months' delivery with prices fluctuating as tlioy are'now?

After the War? "I come with one message, and it is this: that the manufacturers of England are fighting the battles of the Empire just as much as the armies in the held. We all hope that New Zealand, which has given its armies to fight with tho Empire forces, will equally givo its commercial forces to fight with ours in the commercial battle. Never in my life have I known the British manufacturer more enterprising than ho is at the present moment. I don't know whether there is going to be a commercial war after this war, but I do know that the British manufacturers after the war are ooming baok into the markets of tho world to justify their claim again to the trade that they 'have lost during the war." There is no country in the world that could have met its own war needs, and met the war needs of its Allies, and kept up its export trade to nearly 80 per cent, of its pre-war level. This should give you some assurance -as to how Britain will 6tand when the war is over. I am glad to see that the feeling that Gorman trade is dead is as strong in New Zealand as in England." Mr. Dalton appealed to pusiness people to remain loyal to their trado connections before tne war. Ho had heard of men giving up agencies because tho .manufacturers wore unable to supply. He would appeal to people to hold tnieir agencies, and he was sure the British manufacturer wouldl do his best to. deliver. Meanwhile ho would be very glad to listen to the complaints of anybody, and in his official capacity would do his best to solve such difficulties as were arising in these times. (Applause.) This concluded the ceremony, and the Mayor called for cheers for the success of the Exhibition.

IN THE EVENING

CROWDS AND MORE SPEECHES.

The Town Hall was rather more than comfortably filled during the evening:, and spectators, for the most part, seemed to Je making a leisurely, but complete tour of tlie corridors, viewing the displays with interest. To ocoupy or entertain the crowds, speeches on patriotic subjects were delivered by Captain Donald Simson and Mr. F. W. Manton, and a squad from No. 31 Company Cadets gave an exhibition of physical drill, ritie exercises, and bayonet fighting. Captain Simson usually has some-, thing startling or original to saj, and his speeoli on this occasion was no exception 'in this respect. His to.xt was "You don't know there's is a war on," nnd gonerally he upbraided New Ze.v landers for their easy-going life, made possible by the prosperity which war profits He predicted that a day ofi awakening was coming, and that hafora the war ended.

Mr. Manton spoke mostly __ of the growth and development of New Zealand commercoj and of its possibilities in the' next half-century. To-day the exhibition will bo open in the afternoon between' 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., when addrosseß will be delivered by several ladies. In the evening there will be addresses on recruiting by the Mayor (Mr. J- P. Luke), Dr. A. K. Newman, M.P., and others.