BRITISH GOODS IN NEW ZEALAND.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 595, 20 August 1913, Page 2

BRITISH GOODS IN NEW ZEALAND.

British traders and m.uunac. mors art' becoming more inquisitive as 10 the reason;, why. in spit<' of preferonfcir.l tariffs, foreign good? compete successfully with British makes in the markets of the At the offices ef the London, Chamber of Commerce there was opened in May last an exhibition of samples of certain foreign goods which compete with those of British ni;u.- in the | New Zealand market. Those goods were sent to England by Mr W. G. Wickham. British Trade Commissioner here. The samples, which atemamly of American or German origin, mcluded axes, locks and bolt-;, earners, tacks, hay and other forks, lawn mowers, farriers' and carpenters' tools, stucks and dies, enamel ware, Is nips, and domestic utensils. Full particulars were given as io costs, discounts, wholesale ami rei:;;! prices, in New Zealand, etc. Mr Wickham wrote- that in view of the preference which generally exists fe>- British goods, the fact that these lines are sold, means one of two things, either there is no British make equal in price or quality or suited vo local requirements to he obtatred. or if there be such, the makers havo not made their poods known as well as they might," As to locks, Tie Yale lock has been in almost general use. Better English substitutes are coming in, but. they have to combat, a strong prejudice, due io the length of time during which the fields been left undisputed to America. As io hayforks, where weight: and strength are required, British makes arc unchallenged, but the light; >'orks from America, have no rival a: present from England. British makes_ of lawn mowers are used for cricket "rounds, tennis lawns, bowling ereens, golf course:.-;, el.:, but the large sale is for the m-m of rot-tages. The outlay on a good British mako is too heavy, ami cheap American makes have a virtual monopoly. In many lines makers must realise that if they want to get in they must either" present [overwhelming inducomentsto retailers to push their goods or go beyond them, and create a demand amonii users.