BRITISH GOODS.

Taihape Daily Times, 14 June 1918, Page 6

BRITISH GOODS.

TRADE EXHIBITIONS. DISPLAY AT PALMERSTON WINTER SHOW. -In connection -with the Winter Show at. Palmerston North, which is to take place this month, His Majesty's Trade Commissioner (Mr. R. W. Dalton) is again organising an exhibition of British manufactured goo Cs. The Palmerston . Show authorities &ave placed at Mr. Dalton's disposal a considerable amount of space for ihis purpose. -The criticism has often been levelled at British manufacturers that they do not sufficiently bring their productions to the knowledge of overseas markets. In years prior to the war it Uras probably not so necessary for j them to push the sale of their goods as it will be after the war for the xeason that at most times they were able to dispose of all the g"oo"ds which they could produce fairly easily. Ar- : ter the war, for a variety of reasons, "but largely because production in the [United Kingdom will be much greater after the war than it was before, more active steps to market British goods ( "will be necessary, The Imperial Gov- , eminent has fully realised the needs -which the after war years will create, and has been preparing for some time to establish proper organisations, both at Home and abroad, which will be ready immediately war demands cease, | to develop trade in all parts of the yrotld;' this development will be vitally necessary as a means for recuperation.

While there can be no doubt as to tie usefulness of such exhibitions at Home, and while this usefulness has "been fully proved even under war conditions, it is realised that it'lvlll not be sufficient merely to organise exhibitions in London. The most valuable markets Great Britain has are overseas as well as at Home. No Jetter means of attracting attention to these goods can be found* than a collective exhibition under proper auspices. It is part of the Imperial Government's policy to develop this Idea, and a plan for sending an exhibition round the world (but primarily to the Dominions) has already been -worked out. EXPEEIMENT AT HAWEBA. This will be merely the beginning of of a scheme, the possibilities of which are almost unlimited. In addition to action taken directly from Home, it is realised that much can be done in the Dominions themselves by the co-operation of agents of British firms The experiment made by His Majesty's Trade Commissioner at Hawera last year proved very successful, so far. as the enormous difficulties surrounding any venture of this kind -would allow, and at the request of those who took part last year a further trial is now being made at Palmerston Hbrth. Although the difficulties now are greater than they were last year, the space occupied at Palmerston will "be larger than that at Hawera. Some firms have found it difficult to get any goods to exhibit, and one exhibitor at least has none; in this case, however, the exhibitor realises the value of the exhibition as a medium for advertising to his clientele that the nonexistence of the goods to exhibit being a, rosult of the war, is an argument to all British people that they should not overlook the fact that British goods will .again be available after the war, and should not be forgotten now.

OTHER PROPOSALS. As a result of the action taken at Hawera, and the possibilities it clearly indicated, the Imperial Government ia favourable to the development of the idea. It had been the intention of the Department of Overseas Trade to get together and 'jend out for exhibition at Palmerston a collection of British goods, but this was subsequently found impossible owing to the alteration of movements of ships. It is realised that in New Zealand at least, the existence of thoroughly -established agricultural shows forms a valuable means, ready to hand, for the exhibition of manufactured goods, and it is not impossible that when the war is over exhibtion at these shows will -be- extended, provided the necessary facilities are given by the show authorities. In addition it is not impossible that show grounds and show ■buildings will be used for special and general erhibitions at times when they are otherwise idle; proposals for one each exhibtion after the war, at an important centre, are already well in in train. Apart from the agricultural shows, however, it will he possible, with the co-operation of jagents in New Zealand, to organise large exhibition)? at the main Centres, |and this is part of the programme which His Majesty's Trade Commissioner has in view. While the object of these developments is primarily the extension of British trade in general and the provision; of a means of rehabilitating British economic interests, after the firar they cannot but have a beneficial result on the business, not'only of. manufacturers in Great Britain, but of

agents anu *« and also on the revenue of the agricultural shows so far as they are concerned. It is hoped, therefore, that such agents and traders will use the advantage which is likely to accrue to them thus and will co-operate in the execution of the scheme. To all those Avho have the good of British interests at heart these exhibitions are bound to appeal. The difficulties are always greatest at the beginning, and if the "eventual good is to accrue to all, it can only result from active cooperation at the start. MAIN OBJECT IN VIEW.

The exhibitions at Palmerston and Hawera have been styled British Trade Exhitions, but their size procludes this being in any sense accurate. They are unquestionably British but they are in no sense representative of all the multitude of business interests at Home, They include, however, some of the wealthiest and most important firms at Home, and others would undoubtedly exhibit if conditions at all per- . matted The main object at present is j to accustom exhibitors and show au-j thorities to the idea. When the war is over and conditions are easier, it i should be possible to organise such an exhibition, which will be really representative, and which will show the enormous developments which have taken place in England since the war.

These exhibitions also serve the purpose of keeping alive an interest , is British trade at a time when manfacfurers and traders at' Home are unable to supply goods required. For this reason alone it is believed they must serve a useful purpose, particularly within the Empire, where all interests must be in favour of rapid recovery from the evil effects of war conditions.

THE KING ON RATIONS. Apparently the soldiers at the front are in danger of being misled concerning the facts of the food shortage in Britain by the letters of those of their people who have taken part in the queues for butter and meat, and also probably by rumours instigated from enemy sources. To put the matter in a true light, Lord Rhondda has sent

to the men-at the front a message explaining the position, and Lord Rhondda further makes it clear that the King has placed himself in the same position as his humblest subjects, and will be, like them, 011 rations. The message is as follows: —"You can be in good heart about the folk at home. The health statistics were never better in our history. At this stage of the war it is remarkable, when so much of our shipping is engaged on

errands of military necessity, that our food supplies, so great a part of which is seaborne, remain at their present level. We have shared our bread librally with our brave allies in France and Italy, where last year the harvests were poor, and this self-sacrifice ! further binds together the people now battling against the foe of human liberty. Rationing schemes, which mean , share and share alike for everybody, in every class, are about to be put in operation throughout Great Britain, and I hope that under th e new arrangements queues will now disappear. His Majesty the King will be on rations as well as the humblest of his subjects."