“BRITISH MADE.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 835, 5 May 1910, Page 4

“BRITISH MADE.”

Another link in the chain of Empire was forged in London recently when a representative meeting of business men and manufacturers decided, with an unusual display of enthusiasm, to form an association to fight for the supremacy ot British goods in British markets, and endeavour to suppress the fraudulent methods adopted by many continental firms which pass off foreign-made articles as British. The first step towards the consummation so devoutly to be desired will be the adoption of an “All-British” trade mark, the use of which will only be allowed on goods which are entirely of British manufacture. The honesty and integrity ol Home firms have availed through all the stiess and strife of unequal foreign competition to place the name of British productions bey. nd reproach. Their origin is their guarantee, and un scrupulous foreigners, despairing of ever being able to meet their wares on equal terms in the market arena, have extensively adopted the practice of cloaking the deficiencies of their own products by stealing the good name won for British articles. It was related by' the chairman ol the London Chamber of Commerce that many of the best known brands ol British goods were so ingeniously copied and marked, that the public were constantly deceived into buying foreignmade articles while fully believing that they had been manufactured at Home. Canada is already experiencing the benefits of making a stand against the dishonesty ol foreigners. “Made in Canada” (the phrase was brought prominently under notice at the exhibition in Christchurch some three years ago) is proving most efficacious in promoting the wellaie of the manufacturing indn; - trios of the Dominion. Something ot the same sort has been contended for in Australia, hut the agitation has not met with a very large measure of success, for the same reason that would apply in the case of New Zealand. Neither country depends very largely upon its raannfactnies. The primary productions, such as wool, meat, grain and minerals, occupy the largest space in Australasian commercial activity, and dishonest foreign competition is not given a very wide margin for its successlul exercise. We do not know, however, that Argentine meat is extensively palmed off upon the British public as New Zealand, and that the best ot our agricultural implements are largely copied, but these are minor details compared with what the British manufacturer has to suffer at the bauds of his unscrupulous rivals. The “All-British” trade mark, therefore, is a welcome addition to the armoury of Imperial weapons.