THE EMPIRE HABIT

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 15, 18 January 1924, Page 7

THE EMPIRE HABIT

USE OF BRITISH PRODUCTS.

(IROH OUR OWN COnRESPOKDINT.)

LONDON, 23rd November. That a self-contained Empire is becoming a principle underlying many of the ordinary actions of public men and bodies in this country was further evinc-. Ed at a dinner given by the British Electrical and Allied Manufacturers' Association last week at which the Prince of "Wales was the chief guest. It has been taken almost as a matter of course during the past six. weeks of banqueting that nothing but Empire food should appear on the menus, and it has come to be considered almost as an insult to the overseas delegates to place before them anything that has not been grown or produced on the fields or in the gardens or the waters of' British countries. Although the matter,has been taken lightly and referred to "rather humorously on occasions, it has none the less developed almost into a habit, and by the time the British Empire Exhibition has come to an end nest year, it should havo grown into a "popular habit, which not only enhances foodstuffs in its operation but all the commodities in ordinary daily use. The spirit, "of course, which is unconsciously growing in the community is one which prompts a slight feeling of shame in a British man or woman who purchases or uses an article which has come from outside the Empire, when a similar British article is available even at a slightly higher cost. The spirit is growing, of that there can be not the slightest doubt. NEW ZEALAND FLORA | At the engineers' dinner the other I night Lord Derby, the; chairman, ani nounced that, thanks to the good services of the curator of Kew Gardens, all the flowers and greenery of, the I beautiful table decorations w«re Empire ! flora, and no fruits set before, the guests came from any country outside the Dominions or the Homeland. "I am very glad to see that you have given .them preference," 'he added. A further very delicate eonvplime-nt was paid to each of the overseas "delegates who were present. In a yase before them were set flowers or greenery native to the Dominion the delegate represented. Sir James Allen, for instance, recognised the leaves of the kauri pmo, the tot-ara,. and veronica iiowers, but in case there should have been any doubt as to his- familiarity with the native flora, a card beneath indicated what they were. Australians, Canadians, South Africans had thesamo compliment paid them. It was a small matter, but it was a further indication I°\ t"? 4 principle . for the development of whicn Sir James Allen was largely responsible when he took his firm stand recently for a real1 Empire Exhibition, and won the day. . One visualises a, time when a man wlio buys foreign food ov products •will do so with stealth and guilty 'side glances, and having removed all traces of then- place of origin will go about his daily tasks with a aorious weight upon , lug conscience. ' '