BELITTLING OURSELVES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1028, 19 July 1930, Page 7

BELITTLING OURSELVES

TANNERS ASK WHY One of the most difficult problems ’ that everyone at some time has to ! face is that of correctly appraising one's own handiwork, says an article ! published recently b/ the New Zea land Tanners' Research Department. This is a problem faced by nations as well as by individuals: and the solufion of it is often left for others because an Impartial solution is not pos sible of attainment by those most In- . timately concerned. A skilled workman is prejudiced against his own . work—disappointed in it. maybe. An unskilled workman cannot detect the faults in his own work, and so sets a wrong value upon it. It is characteristic of the Britisher to belittle his own production and to ; overlook the inherent merits of the ! articles in question. Yet British goods have a world-wide reputation for workmanship and quality of the materials used. The primary products of New Zea land, 1.e., mutton, butter and cheese, to mention but a few. have estab lished themselves everywhere: this has been achieved only by reason of their quality. It would appear reai sonable. therefore, to suppose that at j least some of the secondary industries are producing articles of quality. does not hear of ‘he success of . New Zealand manufactures unless ! some notable visitor from abroad proclaims the fact; rather Is it the reverse; and what one frequently does hear is the depreciation of New Zea ; land-made goods by New Zealanders themselves. ! The leather industry, and included in this term are the boot and shoe, and tanning Industries, is no excep tion. The Import returns show that there is little confidence In New Zealand leather or in New Zealand-made boots and shoes. Yet footwear equal to the finest made in the world is made in New Zealand.