“ IS IT BRITISH.”

Hokitika Guardian, 30 November 1931, Page 8

“ IS IT BRITISH.”

WHAT TO ASK WHEN BUYING ADVICE TO WOMEN COTTON DISPLAY OPENED If the women of New Zealand get into the habit- of asking, “Is it British?” the drapers could be relied noon to see that they got the goods they asked for. This view was expressed ly Air L. A. Paishy bus Majesty’s' Trade Commissioner, when opening the British Cotton Exhibition at Wellington recently. Mr Paish hoped the exhibition would have the. effect of sending to England oven larger orders than at present. Mr A. P. Smith, introducing Air Paish, said that the main object of the exhibition was to give greater prominence to one of greatest industries—the cotton industry. To-day there was a cry everywhere for Imperial conferences, and numb talk about the necessity for trade treaties, hut when one got down t bedrock the e was no escaping the fact that the whole question of Empire trade had to be thrashed out between the merchant and his customers In other words, the merchant gave the customers what they demanded. They had only to demand British goods and they would get them. When it came to cotton goods •there was no better source of supply than Great Britain. (Hear, hear.) WIDE RANGE OF DESIGNS Air Paish, in opening the exhibition, said he had been in practically all the larger drapery shops in New Zealand and could r.ot help being impressed with the high standard of display work. The exhibition, which wag confined to cotton goods, would, he thought, convince all ol the wide range of styles and designs whi h the Old Country could turn out. Of all the textile industries at Homo cotton was by far the most important At 'the present time it was one of the most severely depressed industries in spite of the efforts which were being made to reduce the cost of pro luetior..

This had been done in order thait Lancashire products might become more competitive with those ol coUfTitriey that had been making such heavy inroads into the trade which was formerly so largely in England’s hands. “It is tin's competition that we have to meet which keeps us fighting all <the- time.” Air Paish said. “If we can’t keep our costs down we are. going to lose business. We know that, and it- is because «v have fo fight for our lives in the world’s markets, without any pr fe“ence in most of those markets, that we are able to kecio our prices down to (Mio very low values you "’ill se- 1 as : vou walk round these st-lls. 1 think after viewing this exhibition you will r-oine to the conclusion thait we are turning our fabrics which cannot 1 e touched for duality and price by any other country in the world.” AN' APPEAL TO WOMEN Mr Paish said that at the present time about. 42 per cent, of the women of Lanchashire were wholly or partly unemployed owing to the falling <ff in itijie demand for their goods. He hoped that the women of New Zealland would do something to alleviate ■the acute distress there by buying cofitn-n goods of British origin. New Zealand to-dav was importing about .12 per i-oiiit. of her cotton goods from countries other than Britain. .Twelve per cent, was not much, but still it represented a good deal of im nev. He hoped women would get into the habit of asking, “Ts it British?” “In helping us you help your selves.” he 'concluded. The exhibition. which affords an exceptional demonstration of the wide variety of 'Seasonable merchandise limit is available in cotton of British manufacture, was well patronised by tlie general public.