TRADE ROMANCE

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1929, Page 8

TRADE ROMANCE

RUSSIAN’S SUCCESSFUL VENTURE

AN AMAZijnU STORY

SYDNEY, August 1

Autsralia lias often been described as the land or opportunity. ' No more romantic story of success in Australia lias, been told tliuii that of Mr M. Fetter, who landed here hve years ago from Russia with Ids in his pocket, ami to-day in Melbourne owns a thriving business which gives employment to 200 hands. Australia was certainly kina to him, as she always, is to men with courage and ability. Mr fetter was routed of a fortune by the Russian revolution. Starting with nothing in Melitople, a town neai the Black Sea, Mr Fetter had amasseu a fortune and possessed a hour mill, a soap factory, and an agricultural implement factory, when the revolution oroke out. In 1918 the Soviet Government .confiscated everything. “Working under the Soviet as an expert J could not earn in a month enough to keep the family for half a day,” he said in Melbourne the other day. He explained that the evidence given by n’s former employees saved him from the death sentence by the Soviet Tribunal, which sentenced him to ten years hard labohr in the coal ais only crime was that he had been a .apitalist. In the higher court he successfully appealed, with the aid again of his employees, who said that ne find always been a good master. Seeing no future for himself and his family in Russia, ho decided to begin .ife afresh, in a new country—and he chose Australia.

No man ever undertook to seek success in a new country under, greater handicaps. Apart from the fact that bis entire monetary resources amounted to 16s, Mr Fetter could not speak a word of English when he arrived at Melbourne, and there was nobody in Australia whom he could claim a friend. In fact, his only .asset was a determination to .carve out a fortune in the land he had adopted for his new home. How well he succeeded his present position shows. Friendless and lonely, Mr Fetter walked the streets of ..•lelbourne on the day of his arrival, and finally obtained shelter for the night at one of the cheaper hotels. His slender financial resources had just about been drained when, after three days search, lie fqund a .job as a mechanic in an engineering establishment at Footscray. He was there for about six or seven weeks, when he obtained a responsible position in a fur factory. There lie controlled a staff of 50. “I knew absolutely nothing about furs,” lie explained, “but I decided to sticii to the job.” . . In tho next 18 months, he managed to save enough to uring his wife and 'liis family to Australia. Then he decided he would establish a business of his own. •He accordingly burrowed £2O with which he bought a Griswold hand machine, and he began operations in his own home, turning out 10 dozen pairs of half hose a week. The first order he secured was for five dozen pairs. With the help of liis family, Mij Fetter was quickly able to increase his business, and he bought three more machines. After a few months the gradual extension of the business warranted a forward move, so he turned his little workshop into a factory. The industry was. carried on for six months, by which time tne premises were found to be too small,- and larger premises had to be obtained. At the same time the hand machine were converted into power machines, and the number of employees was increased to 20.

Air Fetter found that he could not turn out socks of a sufficiently high standard to attract the kind of trade bo was anxious to obtain. He therefore sold out, ordered some autoinatic hosiery machines and began business again with 15 employees. AVithin six months the number of hands had been increased to 40, .and additional machines had been installed. He soon found that these new premises were too small, so lie moved into his present factory, and the weekly production from his factory rose to 2000 dozen pairs a week. The quantity of machinery was gradually increased; likewise the number of hands. About 200 employees will be working for him in a few weeks’ time.

Air Fetter, who is 46 years of age, was asked the secret of his success. “There is no secret,” he replied, “I suppose I am a good business man. That is all. It is not luck. Any man with good business knowledge can succeed in Australia. I knew nothing about making hosiery when I started this business.” Regarding the quality of an Australian as a worker, Air Fetter said: “He is a good worker if he lias a good boss.” Air Fetter added that he would not return to Russia for a million pounds., and there seems to he no reason why he should. Ho is assisted in tin management of his business by 'liis sons and daughters, and other relatives whom he has brought to this “Lurid of Opportunity.”