NEW ZEALAND HONEY

Shannon News, 11 October 1927, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND HONEY

Hold World's Position PIONEER IN FOREIGN MARKETS A s a honey exporting country New Zealand has risen in 15 years from the lowest to the second highest, ranking second only to the United States of America. Mr J. Rentoud, a member of the New Zealand Export Control Board i s present on a world tour furthering the interests, of New Zealand honey. The following letter, dated London, July 25, contains many items of interest to the New Zealand public, reflecting as it does, conditions prevailing in the various European countries. I. arrived here (London) on June 1.8, whites Mr Rentoul. The most pressing business seemed to be in Germany, and for there I departed on June 30 and fraternised with outformer enemies for two weeks and tbo sum of my impressions*, other than business ones, was "Why did it happen?" I looked for the cloven hoof, for the difference that should make us antagonists, but i n their homes, they are very like ourselves and apart from the language, I could not tell who were English and who were German. My centre was Wiesbaden, now occupied by British troops. It was in this area that the French placed black troops, a thing that no white country should do to another. The result has been that our troops, though perhaps not looked upon as guests, are treated with as much friendship as circumstances will 'permit. They move about with as little ostentation as possible while the French, across the river, rush around in their armoured cars, and are generous with restrictions. The old German "Verbotem" is now replaced with that of the French. It costs us a few marks for crossing a bridge which they levied toll on and a good few miles travelling when they closed it every night. We have our war graves and they have theirs. They appear uncountable but can we blame the people? I did not encounter a hostile attitude or hear an unfriendly remark and believe that, under the new order of things, Germany will be nearer to us in friendship than France, with her temperamental race, can ever be.

Our business in Germanw radiates , from Wiesbaden, at one time, the I millionaire garden city—still the garden city, but millionaire no more. ! One of its wealthy clasg is now in charge of our honey packing and his immense villa is an encumbrance to 'him. Our. evenings while in Wiesbaden were spent down the Rhine, and the old towns of Bingen, Roppaard, Anmannshausen and Ruedesheim are quite familiar t o me. The Rhine wine is wonderful and the towns and inns are as old as history. In tracking our operations, w e moored through the Black Forest, covering some 1,000 miles visiting many towns and scenic places. In all. we motored in. Germany over 2000 miles, so you will understand that (he day s were very long and the nights very short. My problem in Germany was an advertising one. It is for ever a problem and requires much faith. Our firm has some 25,000 accounts and our honey is more conspicuous is German shops than it is in New eZaland. But It is dearer than most, German included and public persuasion is needed. One feels rather proud that N.Z. honey is pioneering the market for New Zea-. land produce but it hurts that we get no monetary recognition for our work. Before New Zealand honey was advertised in Germany, our little country was never mentioned In the Gcvman Press. Now there is frequent reference to it, and enquiries reach our agents for other N. Z. produce. It is hard that we should pay for selling New Zealand butter and dried milk.

From Wiesbaden, I pursued my investigations in Denmark and Sweden, making- as was proper, a bee-line for Copenhagen from Hamburg by air. It is a s cheap as the railways and very much quicker. I found .in Denmark and Sweden that our honey takes first place in many shops and the sale generally i s only limited by loca.l production and consumption. It is very gratifying to visit such shops as Axel Moritzefat, who are providers to the Royal Families of Denmark, Sweden, and Normay and bo informed that our honey is per-

fectly satisfactory and l s sold in preference to Danish. Another propri-' etor, Georg Hoidt said he sold up to 150 jars a day. The same reports in Malino. Sweden. Every shop has a good display of Imperial Bee and reports were all the same. That our was sold in Greenland I thought when in N.Z., was an advertisement based on a chance jar or two. But this is not so, as it goes regularly with the Government supplies to that far, frozen land and to the Furve Isles while sub-agents look after its I di&tribution in Iceland and Finland. So you need not be ashamed of your association with Imperial Be e which has carried the name of New Zealand

to "Greenland's icy mountains and

'lndia's coral strand" for in India, too, we liavo our sales agency and I am due to look in when passing. - And so with many regrets at parting from my good friends in Germany and Denmark, I returned to the "Big Smoke" on Saturday morning and am writing in my room to-night. .

Your reference to trade depression sounds like a slogan. I have had it in London, in Germany and in Denmark. In Germany, it almost went without saying, in Denmark it explained empty cafes and deserted cabarets. It seems universal. 1 heard it in Montevideo. But if things are bad generally, and with so much saying they must be so, w e are doing fairly, well notwithstanding, and it is something to congratulate ourselves on.

I am now getting down to sotting out this London business. ■ Selling hcr e is like selling in New Zealand. no easier. A bigger potential market but it has to be developed.