LOCAL PATRIOTISM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 159, 22 November 1912, Page 6

LOCAL PATRIOTISM.

ANOTHER SIDE. SOMJi CANDID VIEWS. "It is all very well for correspondents in your paper and the "News" editorially to talk about keeping business in tin ♦.town, placing their orders with local .[tradespeople, and all the rest ot it, bul there are two sides to every question, and there is certainly another side than already presented "to this particular one." This was the remark of a New Plymouth resident to a "News" representative the other day. He proceeded to discuss the reasons for people going outside for their wants. 'Take the ladies. Now, you can't be married without hearing their complaints about the indifferent dressmaking facilities in New Plymouth. There are no really firstclass dressmakers here. The range of dress stuffs is neither wide "nor good. You can't get the necessary trimmings." 'But," interjected the reporter, "there is So-and-So. They have a good dressmaker. Then there is Miss What's-her-narne, who is supposed to make dresses equal to the best produced by city people."

"That may be so, though I question ! the accuracy of the statement. But] supposing yo:ir statement n true, what chance has a lady of gel ting a dress made expeditiously when there are only I one or two people in the town who are in the position to make good dresses? They would be inundatid with order's, and a lady would not g"i, her order executed for months. Now, by sending away she can get her dress quickly, and at a price, low or high, according to the length of her purse. The outside Arms have her measurements. She has but to choose her material from the patterns furnished, and she gets h"r clothes back quickly, made well and cm, well." "But," chimed in the "News" man, "'A there were the demand locally there would be the supply. If the local drapers got the patronage it would encourage them to enlarge their staffs ,and their stocks. The trouble is that at preset, they have not the incentive to do this by reason of such a large proportion or people sending out for their work."

"If .you wanted to start a newspaper, you would not wait till you were assured of a big circulation,'' replied the party. "You would instal your plant, obtain your staff, publish your papet and get out after business, and make the tiling go. That is what local

tradespeople should do. If they want patronage they must show more enterprise. They should provide the facilities—i.e., competent dressmakers, and better stocks. Now, a lady might not be able to get the particular kind of material she wants at Mic places you mention as having good dressmakers on the promises. She is compelled to go to another shop. If she buys there, the first firm will not make up the stuff into a dress, or, if it will, the customer has to wait the firm's pleasure for the execution of the order."

This statement the iv:p-.rter doubted. Ha did not think a firm would be so unbusinesslike or so short-sighted as to take up such an attitude.

"Well" continued the candid friend, "there is the question of trimmings. My wife sa3's she can't obtain satisfaction locally. She has to send away for them. And she argues that if she has to send for the oddments she might as well send for the whole dress, especially as she takes no risk in the matter of securing a good fit."

"Your remarks cannot apply to the tailors, anyhow," the reporter asserted. "A lady can get a costume made locally as well as she . can anywhere else."

"Yes, that may be so; but it is not every lady that wants a tailor-made costume."

"Still, orders for costumes go out wholesale, to miy own personal knowledge," quoth the" scribe. "Well, I can only speak from my own experience. I have never been well fitted here. lam not very particular in regard to style, etc., but I do like to feel comfortable, not to have the trousers trussing me or the b-ttoms to be the shape of a bell. It is not a question of being snobbish. I think the application of that word in your leader to those who go outside the country for their clothes uncalled for, and spoilt the article. It is no such thing. I tell you this: you can get a suit made to order in London and pay the 40 per cent, duty and land it in New Plymouth cheaper than you can purchase it locally for. But that is not everything. Buying in London yon can depend upon the quality of the cut, which is more than you can do here." "That is a surprising statement. About the price I cannot speak, but I can speak about the quality of the lo-cally-made article. There are several firms who can and do turn out tip-top clothes and at prices comparing favorably with those outside. These firms should be encouraged, as they merit encouragement. The more they are patronised the bigger the staffs and the better it is for everybody in the town." Just: then another party came into the room. He is an old resident, who confessed that up till recent years he was compelled to send outside for his suits. One day a local tailor saw him. "I really think, Mr. Blank," remarked the Knight of the' Scissors, "you are the worst-dressed man in the town!" Said resident was so aghast at the temerity of the tailor that before he was able to recover from his surprise he found he had ordered' a couple of suits from the tailor, since which time he has never had occasion to go elsewhere for clothes. The resident further vouchsafed the opinion that good tailors were well patronised locally. One he knew had not long ago been able to retire on money he had made during the course of but a few years.

"Ah!" gleefully exclaimed the scribe, "there i proof of my statement that \jou can get well served in New Plymouth without going outside." , "That's all very well," replied No. 1 person, "but I am still of opinion that the business people of the place have liiemsclves to blame for not securing the business that is now forced outside. The man in business here, generally speaking, l-'f-ks enterprise and go. If he possessed either attribute things would he different." He, however, admitted that he intended getting his next suit of clothes in New Plymouth, a fact which gave the reporter not a little satisfaction. Probably it won't be long before his good wife, too, will see her way to purchase her clothes locally and receive better treatment than she has heretofore experienced. With this practice general, the town would progress by leaps and bounds, for it is a well-known fact that-thousands of pounds are annually remitted to city firms for clothes and. articles that could very well be made locally.