NAPIER'S YESTERDAYS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 13, 30 January 1937, Page 14

NAPIER'S YESTERDAYS

Charles Price

BY

ADVERTISEMENTS

To parapbrase an old quotation I am inclined to write "Sweet are the uses of advertisements." Advertising in some form or another provides the oil for th© smooth working of the world's commercial machinery. Stop advertising altogether and economic chaos would soon be the result. Cease advertising, and buying of many comuiodities would cease; if buying ceased production would stop, if production ceases the commerce of the world would be wrecked, and lniilions of people would he without occupation. But fh-Q average person • does not realise how effective advertising really is If advertising does not sell spectacles to the blind and gramoplionea io the deaf it is deemed of little vaiue, j.nd that Pe°ple do not read advertisements, but lejb a paper print an advertisement that a fruiterer and greengrocer has baggages for sale instead of cabbages for sale, and he will soon find that the whole population of the place nas read it. However, it is not altogether about the value of advertising that i intended to write although that is an important oubject, it is about advertisements which have definitely brought results, and, in some cases rather surprising results The first such advertisements which comes to my mind was a small "wanted" advertisement which was inserted in the "Hawke's Bay Heraid" sometime late in 1881, 1 think. I fix this approximate timo because 1 know it appeared during what I consider to be the worst economio slump in Hawke's Bay's history, and that i fancy was somewhere about that period. Times were exceedingly bad ; there was little employment for men in the country, and hardly any for tradesmen in town. Carpenters, bricblayers, painters, piumbers and carriers were all walking about seeking work of any bind. It »vas during this period that Mr John White, of Porangahau, a storekeeper, and the owner of a big sheep station sent down to the "Heraid" an advertisement which read: "YVantod, man cook for station, permanent to good man. Apply 'Station', 'Heraid' office, Napier." This advertisement was ordered for six insertions, and the paper was instructed that the address could be given to applicants, but was not to be inserted in the advertisement. We were instructed to send by mail any replies which came to the "Heraid." This we did, but as the mail to Porangahau went only twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays, retxxrning on Tuesdays and Fridays, when we sent the first batch of replies (37) the advertisement had'adready appeared three days,

uud in tlie meantime we had supplied che advertiser's address either by ietter or telegram to abutifc two score otbern When Mr. White opened his mail on Thursday he must have been very surprised, for he sent a telegram, "Please withdraw advertisement lmmediately. i road to Waipukurau is lined with cooks." By the next mail on the lollowing Monday a further batch of 29 replies were sent. I don't tliiuk all of the applicants had very great experienco of cooking, but men would take on any job that gave them promise of tucker for a sliort time, and 1 think if a schoolmaster had been required there would have been as many applicants. Another advertisement of a different character, but even stranger result canie to the "Heraid" from Dr. F. I. de Lisle. Dr de Lisle was the owner of a very fine mastiff which he cailed Tongariro. Tongariro was a popular figure in town and well known, for he had the lordly dignity of the mastiff and was never known to attack another dog, nor would he condescend to fight with the smaller dogs even if they appeared to desire it. Tongariro had very comfortable quarters at the doctor'g home and was well treated, so that although he may have led a dog's life, it was not altogether an unpleasant one. And even in a dog's life there are social amenities which apparently have an attraction for dogs, so that when Tongariro occasionally miss'ed making his appearance to occupy his room at night th© doctor put it down that Tongariro had been dining out and would return the following day. This forecast was usually correct, but on oue pccasion Tongariro was missing for a whole week and Dr. de Lisle was disturbed. He was sure that Tongariro was either locked.up somewhere or, because of his aristocratic descent, had been stoien and taken out of the district. So he inserted an advertisement, "Lost, mastiff dog, answers name 'Tongariro', with collar on. Ten shillings reward on returning to Dr. de Lisle, Tennyson Btreet. Anyone detaming dog will bo prosecuted." The advertisement was ordered for three insertions. Before seven nest day the "Heraid" telephone rang, a voice at the other end said, Dr de Lisle here, please take that advertisement out. When 1 opened my bedroom wiudow just now and looked out I saw Tongariro at tbe front door with this morning's "Heraid" in his mouth. come to claim the ' reward. He has never brought the paper in before so it must be the advertisement which has caused him to do ift"