The Daily News TUESDAY, APRIL 27. INDUSTRIES WEEK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 77, 27 April 1909, Page 2

The Daily News TUESDAY, APRIL 27. INDUSTRIES WEEK.

Last year in the principal towns of the Dominion a laudable effort was made to popularise New Zealand-manufactured goods with the public, principally bv means ol excellent displays in tli t . windows of leading shops. New riyiuoutli on that occasion was well to the fore, and the ".Made in New Zealand" exhibitions, it was freely stated at the time, had a distinctly stimulating inlluenee on business. As a, source of popular education, and as an inculcator ofpatriotism, there is not the slightest doubt the displays further served a useful purpose. Unfortunately, too few people pause to consider the relative merits of their own as compared with the manufactured imported articles, and with too many an unreasonable prejudice against "home made'' has militated against local industry. And" yet the moet competent judges affirm that the quality of our staple manufactures —woollen goods, clothing, and articles of food—are unsurpassed by the finished products of any country in th c world. Our manufactures possess in the highest degree the qualities of purity. The use of shoddy in textiles or adulterants and impurities in articles 01 food is not a sin that can be charged against the New Zealand manufacturer. The public—when it pauses to think—is perfectly aware of the superiority of most New Zealand goods, yet, from force of habit, perhaps, expresses a preference for the imported articles. To counteract this unpatriotic tendency, and inculcate in thp minds of the younger generation a knowledge of and pride in the -productions of their own country is the primdry "object of Industries Week, We observe that the business people of t'hristchurch are alive to the advantages of the exhibitions, nnd last year's efforts bill fair to be eclipsed by the efforts being put forward this year. Bo far we have not heard the matter mooted in New PhmoWl', but recollecting the sat- ! isfaction with which the initial display was unanimously received, we trust the • enthusiasm then demonstrated by trades- ', people and manufacturers may easily ' be revived. It is perhaps unfortunate • that the matter had not been thought ' of earlier, In view of the exceptional op- ' portnnity available next week, on the , occasion of the visit of Masonic breth- [ ren from nil parts of the Dominion and ' the unveiling by his Excellency the ', Governor of the ifarsland Hill memorial. | Even now it might not be too late to • make the necessary preparations, and ', we commend the proposal to the con.sid- | oration of the tradesmen's associations and the Chamber of Commerce. At ' least it i h to be hoped that the example ; of Christchureh will be followed in New ' Plymouth, if not at the time suggested, , at least while interest in the movement I is being evinced in other parts of the ; Dominion. ,