NEW ZEALAND GOODS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1930, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND GOODS

AN APPEAL TO WOMEN. “BUY FROM OWN PEOPLE.’ 3 WELLINGTON, September 17. ‘‘lf New Zealanders will buy from Uijjii' bwii, people rather than from tiie ■foreigner they will go far . toward solving the' problem of unemployment," said’Miss E. Melville; of Auckland, in the course of aii address to women or Monday evening at tiie .Pioneer Club, when she opened, her series of talks to Women’s organisations on behalf of the New Zealand shopping week. Jier addresses were continued yesterday, when she spoke to the University Women's Club in the afternoon and at the Girl Guide headquarters m .tiie evening.

It was as well to take stock sometimes, said Miss Melville, and this question was one which partiefUarly concerned women because they were the; buyers of the community. New Zealand had wonderful assets, a salubrious climate, productive soil, tiie healthiest people in the world, and one of the wealthiest per capita. Moreover. New Zealand had a good standard of intelligence and education, and yet -we had this problem of uneiuploy • men which in our country should not be a problem at all. The first cure tbfit had beftp advocated was to put people oil the land, but that was apt sufheieut, It was up use men going dii; the land unless they lmd the right temperament and .fitness for fanning. The fact that last year we had a record return from butter-fat and a record for unemployment showed 'that this wus not the sole solution, though allied to the development of our manu< facturing industries it might be. New Zealand had the raw materials to hand and bad spent millions in hydro-elect-ric works, much of which would be economic waste if not used for industry.

MUST HAVE MARKET. “But if we are to have industries we must have a market for them,” sidd Miss Melville. She appealed to her hearers to create that market by buying New Zealand-made goods. If more goods were asked for the manufacturers could spend more on improving. tiie type of machinery and so make better articles. We bought from countries like Japan and India where the standard of living and hygiene was low, and yet refused to support our own people. Miss Melville mentioned the amount spent in ready-made clothing and other things from France, Germany, America and even.Czeoho-SloVakia, and said that if some of this was spent on the products of ' qur ‘ factories it Would dave: New Zealand girls from unemployment, which, was n far greater danger to wotnen than to men. Many hats nmtie in Zealand were sold as from overseas because the shopkeepers thought wopien would not buy tlieiri it they were marked New Zealand made. . INTELLIGENT PATRIOTISM. What was wauted was intelligent pa-triotism,-said Miss Melville. Relief work of any kind was only charity and that in the end must impoverish the country. A prosperous worker was the greatest asset any country' could have. It was becoming an increasing problem as to what to do with the boys and girls leaving school to the number of about 16,000 each year. “Every time we buy foreign goods we make it more difficult for these people to find a place in life,” she sad. “If everyone in New Zealand spent a shilling a week more on New Zealand goods it would mean four millions a. year to industry, and our young men and women would find employment.” Miss Melville’s appeal to women to assist in solving the problem by purchasing and persuading others to purchase goods made in their own country by no means fell on deaf ears. Those present at the meetings asked many questions, and showed that the matter was receiving serious thought. Already on Miss Melville’s showing the prejudice against buying the locally-made article is dying, and women are beginning to seek New Zealand goods. It was thought that this would be encouraged by having those goods clearly marked “Made in New Zealand,” and at the first meeting a motion that manufacturers be asked to have this done was carried. Other meetings have supported this. Miss Melville has with her exhibits of New Zealand-made goods, and is also showing slides depicting the different manufactures of goods in New Zealand,