TRADE RIVALRY

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1921, Page 4

TRADE RIVALRY

A PROGRESSIVE DEPARTMENT

LONDON, Dec 10

The operations of the Department, of Overseas Trade in its effort to compete with foreign manufactures have lieen brought more prominently before the public this week by an exhibition of its collection of foreign samples, numbering about 100,000,"and covering a wide range, and representing the productions of practically every manufacturing country in the world. They have been purchased by the British Trade Commissioners, commercial secretaries, diplomatic officers, and Consuls in from 200 to 300 districts, and sent Home for the bencht of the export manufacturer, and for file, education of the work people engaged by him. By this work the Department of Overseas Trade is doing a servicce that it is impossible for a manufacturer to obtain in any other way, or for an association to render with the same efficiency. The chain of communications with British Government represonta-/ fives abroad establishes a link with trading conditions throughout the whole world, and enables the Department to put its finger on the pulse of foreign competition anywhere at any time. The manufacturer is in a position to see what foreign competitors are doing, and, what is even more important, to learn from the samples, which aie all selling lines, what the peoples in the different countries want. All specimens are labelled with the country of origin, the country of sale, the price of the article, discounts, .terms of credit, and other data likely to help the manufacturer to compete successfully abroad. If any manufacturer comes to the conclusion that he cap supply a particular market the Department is prepared to give illim the names of buyers in any part of the world ; if he desire* to find out how any article is made, with a view to manufacture, ho is given the loan of the sample for c x animation at Ids own works. Whenever new samples are received of particular interest to specific industries these are immediately takm to the areas where similar goods are manufactured in this country, and vi co-operation with local Chambers of Commerce are shown, so to speak, at the factory gate. At these provincial exhibitions it lias now become the custom to invite, in addition to the manufacturers, representatives of the workers, including trade union leaders and shop foremen, so that they, too, may have ocular demonstration from the samples shown of the exact character of the foreign competition which employers are up against.