NEW METHODS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 October 1929, Page 7

NEW METHODS

IMPORTANCE OF SALESMANSHIP. TRAPE COMMISSIONER'S HEWS. ' AUCKLAND, October 12. “UnM people in New Zealand 10ali.se that there is a demand in the United Kidgdolm for dcl’icateily-fiav-ourod products they will be missing a very big market that exists for their products,” said Air L. A. Paish. his Majesty’s Trade Commissioner in New Zealand, who is visiting Auckland. It whs not exactly a question of quality, he' added, but of palate, “if you are looking for a large expansion in the market for your butter, cheese, and bacon, ’> Air Paish said, “you will have to pay more attention in future than you have in the past to the flavour of your products.” As to how the problem should be dealt with, Air Paish suggested that this was a matter for expert investigation. In some ways it was more difficult to cater for a discriminating palate than to attain a certain standard of quality, and the one should not be confused'with the other.

Referring to general trade conditions, Air Paish considered the outlook was fairly bright. One of the most hopeful signs was the effort now being made by business men at Horqo to bring about the extensive reorganisation of industry and the modification cf practices by which they had hitherto conducted their business. The attitude in the past had been to wait for business, but it was being realised more and more that if the manufacturer wanted to extend the market for his goods be had to go out and study conditions overseas to a greater extent than ever before,

There was a very definite movement hi the United Kingdom, continued Air Paish, to emphasise to all manufacturers and merchants the need of improving thc'ir methods of salesmanship. Formerly it was the practice of the manufacturer to make the finest quality goods he could, and then expect tliev would sell themselves on quality, 'but it was now recognised that salesmanship was a much more exact science than \hitherto thought. There was a committee 1 sitting in Great Britain with a view to providing educational courses in commercial salesmanship. Manufacturers were taking an’ interest in the subject, and a decided improvement had been noted in tjie past two or three years. The depressed industries were particularly active at the moment in formulating schemes for reorganising, an many large corporations were being formed to cut manufacturing costs. This was particularly the ease in cotton, iron, and steel industries. Wool was being much affected by increasing competition from artificial silk, and the woollen industry of course was one of the depressed industries, said Mr Paish. It was difficult to see a brighter outlook for wool, 'because there appeared to be a definite change in fashions, limiting tho use of woollen goods. People were •turning more and more to lighter fabrics, made of artificial silk. There is one bright ray of hope, he added in conclusion, any that is to b' e found in the way the introduction 'of the new fibre is providing tiro weavers and designers of Lancashire and Yorkshire, with material that can be used in conjunction i’itli cotton to give greater variety and attractiveness to garments of nil kinds. For Lancashire and Yorkshire the present developments gave promise of a new lease of life to industries, which had given such prominence to those counties in tho past. Bradford was experiencing increasing competition from the Continent, and v th-3 mills there had all been reconstructed since the war, Wild were equipped with first-class aud u-to-date machinery. Mr Paish is visiting Auckland to address tlie Dominion Conference of the Chambers of Commerce on Alonday on Imperial Relations. He will lie leaving for Wellington again on Tuesday evening.