The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 1907.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2161, 17 August 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 1907.

ADVERTISING A COUNTRY. The article appearing under the above heading in t-o-day’s supplement is worthy of more than passing attention. The author, Mr. C. Reginald Ford, who by the way is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and travelled with the last expedition to the Antarctic, is a keen-ly-obser.v-ant gentleman, who has noted durin*» Iris travels the chief features t-liait tend to the prosperity of the most progressive nations. His finding, briefly summarised, is that modern nation-building is achieved very largely by advertisement. To those who have never lived outside New Zealand tlio extent to which this principle is being adopted, particularly in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Argentine, Uruguay, and some other of the smaller countries which are seeking population,- must come as a revelation. The United States as a confederation does not need to indulge in an advertising campaign, for the stream of British and Eu opean immigrants which passes through New York annually is well nigh a million, hut there are individual States and towns which desiro lar® or populations and the ways and meant devised to meet this object are graphically related by Mr. Ford. It has becomo a recognised axiom that the, Americans load the world at advertising, but as a matter of fact the Canadians have learned from their nexit-door neighbors, and have improved upon their teachers. Like the American, tlio Canadian is bold and enterprising as an advertiser, and, what is more, ho is also autistic, and in this respect lias a distinct advantage over the somewhat boastful Yankee. Tho Dominion system of attracting immigrants is probably the finest that has been devised within the annals of history. It is now some seven or eight years since Mr. Sifiton, as Minister of the Interior, laid beforo the Canadian Parliament a scheme involving the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of pounds annually for tho open-ing-lip of tho Great North-West Territories. He had of course to face tlio usual opposition from pessimists who looked aghast at the heavy cost of the experiment, but ho hail gained the approval of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and ultimately secured authority to carry his proposals into effect. The whole of the North-West territory was parcelled out in suitable allotments for subdivision amongst small farmers, and concessions were made to the two big railway corporations, tho Canadian Pacific and the Grand Trunk Companies, to induce them to push on the work of railway construction, and to offer special rates to intending settlers, The steamers travelling from Europe and Britain were also subsidised for similar reasons. Depots were then opened up in all tlio chief towns of Britain and Europe, Government representatives being placed in charge to give full information to those seeking it. No possible means of disseminating the news that Canada had land to offer on attractive terms was neglected. A special Exhibition staff was appointed to attend to the Dominion exhibits at the various International Exhibitions, and these trained officials set a standard that no other country lias been able to approach. The cleverest journalists of the day were paid to visit the North-West, and write up in tho leading British, American, and Continental magazines glowing articles on tlio great prospects of tho new nation. The result was magical. A stream of immigrants, small at first, but increasing in number each year, commenced to flow towards Canada, and the annual influx is now close on 100.000 settlers. The increase of the country’s trade has been phenomenal, the revenue having increased from 58,000,000 dols. in IS9I to 80,000,000 dols. in 1906. Beforo Mr. Sifton s scheme of immigration was entered upon all that the outside world knew or thought it know of Canada was that tho country was shockingly cold and almost unproductive. AH th'js has been chan-

ged, and oven tho man in the street has come to realise that tho vast Dominion is to be one of tho great nations of tlio future. Tho experience here quoted jnovidos probably the best possible proof of the fact that nations, like individual business firms, at any rate in their earlier stages, must advertise if they wish for success, and tlio analogy is equally applicable to Now Zealand as a country and to Gisborne ns a town. Our local population is increasing certainly, but not nearly so fast as tlio merits of the district warrant, lit should bo remembered that every additional settlor in Povonty Buy, every new resident in the town, increases tho trade of our business firms and adds to tho spending power of County Councils and municipality, so that they can carry out nocessary works and assist towards tho general prosperity and happiness. Wo have, it is true, many public bodies which transact a good deal of business and do excellent work on stereotyped lines, but there is at tho same time ample scope in Gisborne for an association similar to that which is being formed in Christchurch. If such an organisation commanded the cooperation of local commercial houses and the services of the best of our young men, who appear to shrink from undertaking tlio responsibilities attached to membership of tlio nuore formal local bodies, it should ho capable of doing excellent work for tlio advancement of Gisborne.