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Hokitika Guardian, 21 May 1928, Page 2

The present week is Empire shopping week, so set apart as a reminder to patronise the manufacturers of goods within the Empire for needful supplies. In essence, the purpose is to assist in stimulating trade within the Empire as a means to afford employment, create wealth, and so establish the British Empire in assured prosperity. The war and its aftermath, chiefly the latter, had its effect in disorganising trade, and Great Britain suffered severely from that cause. Loss of trade through diversion, and inability to regain it owing to the advance in prices, made great inroads on prosperity. Large industries developed during the war period had to.be scrapped, entailing not only great national loss, hut also causing tremendous unemployment. The disorganisation at Homo was reflected abroad by lessened con-

.sumption and depreciated markets for colonial produce. The revival of trading relations within the Empire therefore became a matter of paramount importance. Various organisations assisted in the task, and one effort has been to establish an Empire trading week. Heatly it should he an Empire trading year if the complete objective is to be achieved. The speech made last week at Home by the Prime Minister indinalted the stem necessity there is for a great fight to .set the trade of Great Britain on a fair footing. Tlie drift occasioned hv the war and its consequences have certainly been disastrous. But with a great consuming population such as is spread over the Empire, it should lie (mssihle to achieve the redemption if loyal support is given in the direction this week’s trading proposes. British enterprise can turn out the goods and wo have come to realise that the British article occupies a first place. There is thus all the more reason for seeking out British goods in the domain of which New Zealand manufactures occupy no mean position. It is part and parcel of the levying scheme now in force to patronise goods made, in New Zealand for tin? essential reason of supporting local industry and production, ami ensuring by the demand sustained employment lV.r the workers who are resident in our own Domin-