BRANDED WITH SWASTIKA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 November 1941, Page 3

BRANDED WITH SWASTIKA

ENGLISH MADE CROCKERY. QUANTITY REACHES DOMINION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. A cablegram from London yesterday reports that Johnson Brothers, one of the world’s largest earthenware manufacturers, were amazed to discover that a consignment of their cups, saucers and plates destined for South America bore an elaborate swastika design. The discovery was made when a barge sunk in the Manchester ship canal, together with crates of pottery, were salvaged. Sir Ernest Johnson, head of the firm, said: “I know nothing of this design. The firm’s imprint could have been forged, but could not have been applied in our factory.” The cablegram added that the firm had received complaints from its New Zealand agents some months ago that its wares had arrived imprinted with the swastika, but the mystery was never solved. When the foregoing was referred to the New Zealand agents, John Raine, Limited, the principal, Mr John Raine, Wellington, confirmed that crockery , consigned from Johnson Brothers had reached the Dominion bearing the swastika design. He said that when a tank of 250 dozen plates arrived at Auckland about three months ago every piece was found to have a swastika on it underneath. The mark was not glazed into the plates, but was roughly painted on in some kind of ink. It was easily washed off. The police were at once notified with the object of endeavouring to see if fingerprints or other evidence could be found. Nothing, unfortunately, could be learned.

Full particulars of the discovery were at once dispatched by letter to Johnson Brothers, but insufficient time had elapsed for a reply. Mr Raine said he was completely at a loss for a theory as to how the swastika could have been applied to the crockery.