MADE IN NEW ZEALAND

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2893, 4 October 1916, Page 6

MADE IN NEW ZEALAND

BRANDING OF GOODS . LABOUR UNIONS' REQUEST A refjucst that the brand "mado in New Zealand" should bo compulsorily allixod to iall goods manufactured 'in New Zealand was made by a Labour deputation'which waited upon tho Hon. James Allen and the Hon. W. H. Hcrries yesterday. Tho members of/tlio deputation were: Messrs. J. IJutcheson (Boot Trade Operatives' Federation), J. M'Konzio (Trades and Labour Council), and D. R. Kennedy (Furniture Trade Workers' Federation). Mr. Hutcheson said that no 'manufacturer should be ashamed to brand his 'goods 'with his name. Tho New Zealand Government in its purchases of goods for military supplies insisted that all articles should bear tho maker's name; Tho New Zealand boot operative# had no money invested in tlio boot industry, but they were making the boot as goocl as 1 any that couldbe' imported, both in finish and in durability. Tlio deputation asked that the principle of the branding of goods with the maker's name should bo oxthat the public should know whose goods they were buying. He expressed disapproval, of the practice by which some goods 'manufactured in New Zealand wero branded as if they were manufactured abroad—this in order'to secure a more ready market or a 1 better price. He expressed strong approval of tho Shoddy Footwear Act, which, he said, had prevented the importation of cheap footwear 'of poor quality. Since the war tho New Zealand manufacturers ' had captured the local -boot trade, but he feared that after .the war tho market might again "be flooded ' with imported boots.. Mr.. M'Kenzie, supporting tho request, said that tlie war had enabled the New Zealand manufacturers to get a , hold on the local market such as they had never before had. There was danger "that they might lose this owing to'the desire of retailers to sell those goods out' of which they could make the-most, profit, and he believed the proposal made by the deputation would • have soiiio effect in helping the local manufacturers to keep their present hold on tho trade. Mr. Kennedy, spoke especially of tho ■furniture trade. Ho 6aid that a good deal of furnituro was beiiig imported lrom'America, and ho believed that local industry would be helped by the branding of all locally-made goods with the mark "mado in Ne\V Zealand." Tho Hon. J. Allen expressed satisfaction with all that had been said regarding the good- effect of the Shoddy Footwear Act. Ho approved strongly of the spirit actuating tlie dopiitation in making the requost. 'So far as the' boots made for. the New Zealand' soldiers were doncerned, he wished to say that for tho.last year or eighteen months t'hey had given tho very greatest satisfaction.! '.'Whether it is you bootriiakers'engaged-in their manufacture or the manufacturer who makes the leather, you have produced an article 'that has {riven great isatis-, faction," said; tho Minister. He entirely endorsed the- view ..that manufacturers had every reason to i feel proud. of the.:articles made in New -.and lie would feel only too prolid to know that every boot locally, made lmd the/brand "llade iti Now Zealand/' It would be : necessary, however, for"-the'.'same Spirit to bo maintained after tho war, and that the present reputation of New Zealand manufacturers should continue. ■ lie would li.ke to see all local, manufactures branded Made in New Zealand," but" maybe there was some ■ technical difficulty in the way. Take, for iiistance, boots'nSade in New Zealand with leather'mado elsewhere used for'the soles. It was a. question of policy,, and'should rest until the Prime Minis-, ter and 'Sir Joseph Ward could be consisted. . '. . The Hon. W. 11. llorrics pointed- out that in 1910 tlio Hon. J. A. 'Millar had introduced a Bill which proposed to carry Out exactly what tho deputation was asking for. Tho clause specified, however, had boon _ eliminated by tho Labour Bills Committee. • He took it that tho- evidence hchrd .before tho Committee had shown that tlio public desired .the imported, article. ■ Now, ho hoped, and, lie thought, the public idea liad changed, and there. , was no reason why New, Zealand could^- not producc as good, if not a better, article than the imjiqrted one. If it was determined by Cabinet? to introduce any legislation iiitlio direction indicated it would have to go before tho Labour Bills Committee, and he believed that evidence- could be • produced to satisfy! the comnuttce that it was desirable to have goods branded "Mado in New Zealand." If such a decision wero arrived at by the Labour Bills Coinmitteo he would bo only too pleased to have the necessary legislation prepared' by tlio Department of Labour.