1938

Although our Renold business was still growing considerably, still on account of Freezing Works expansion and mechanisation, it became more obvious every day in 1937 that we were losing some business to motor sellers who were selling short centre transmission as well, and knowing that we had got to have a motor to hold our heads up, I investigated and found out that Brook Motors of Huddersfield had not been actively represented in New Zealand since the failure of their representative in 1929. We were well aware it was a good motor. We were identified with their main salesman, Mr George Lockhead, in 1927-28-29, who greatly assisted us, and we greatly assisted him, by combining Brook Motors and Chain Drives.

I therefore decided that we had got to have a Motor Agency, and my journey to England in 1938, to get that Agency for Brooks, would be my main objective.

Again four years had passed since my last visit to the Renold Conference, so I decided to make the journey again in 1938, and on the way to attend the Rotary International Convention at San Francisco, in June of that year. At the time of starting this journey, the writer was far from being 100 per cent - a very strenuous two or three years were behind, and the rest was very much needed. However, the sea voyage to Honolulu, the week spent there, and the further journey on to San Francisco in such excellent company, as usual, Mr Charles Parker accompanied me; then the excellent fellowship enjoyed at San Francsico with Rotarians from every part of the world - and not forgetting our old friend Harkness, who still was pleased to see us, and entertained us as usual, almost to a point of embarrassment. Again we decided after the Conference was over, that we would motor once more across the Continent, but take a different route. Seeing that I had promised, when next in America, to visit Reeves Variable Speed Pulley Company, at Columbus, Indiana, we arranged our itinerary somewhat different. Over the Sierra Nevadas to Salt Lake City, and from there South east to Lafayette, Indianapolis and Columbus. We spent a very happy two days with that great firm, and the great personality the President and his family, which neither Mr Parker or I will ever forget. These kind people then mapped out for us a route to take us through the most pleasant places to Detroit, where we carried on to Dear Born Inn for a few days, then over the bridge to Windsor, Canada. Our next call was our Renold friends at Toronto, then at Brockville, our Abrasive manufacturer, then the Renold firends at Montreal. We enjoyed our little visits in Canada very, very much; but the next portion of our ride from Montreal over the Adirondacks and the Mohawk trail to to Albany was a journey neither of us will ever forget - and most of its details will be remembered too.

From Albany we carried on to Boston, where I left Mr Parker, and was joined by Mr Ernie Mills, of the Renold Company in New York, and we together drove leisurely down the Coast via Rock Island Ferry to New York. I later sailed to England in company with Mr Ernie Mills on Aquatania, a very pleasant journey and very pleasant company. I was met at Southampton by our good friend, Mr Jimenez, and travelled direct from there to Dursley, to see Mr Percy Lister, as Listers had bought out Blackstone and Co., and we started work right on the job. A few days there and then to London, much enjoying meeting again old places and old faces - even to the waitresses at the Corn Exchange Restaurant.

I omitted to mention that previous to this time, the Renold and Coventry had sold out the interest in Brampton - for which we were very thankful - and in the cleaning up of this line, we had come out not too good, and I had a great argument ready for Mr Jenkins, to show him that although he intended to be magnanimous at the gratuity given at the cessation of the Agency, it hadn't turned out that way. Needless to say, it only needed the correct understanding of the facts by Mr Jenkins, for everything to be put right in a really magnanimous manner.

The job disposed of, I immediately set about getting into communication with Messrs. Brook Motors, of Huddersfield, and was invited to visit them. I did so, and after a second visit, was able to convince them that we were fit and proper people to give a trial so far as the Agency was concerned, and an initial order was placed to the value of somewhere between £600 and £900.

While in Huddersfield, I took the opportunity of visiting the Rotary Club and got a great kick from meeting many school friends of my boyhood days as officers of that great Fellowship in my home town.

After a most enjoyable visit to England, I returned once more to New York, and met Mr Parker, but somewhat under a cloud. The first placard we saw - this was in September 1938 - on getting ashore was: "Chamberlain says War inevitable." We got the wind up and tried to get airpassage and steamer passage from San Francsico at once; but all the ships for at least a month were booked with Austraian refugees going from America to New Zealand and Australia. We therefore decided to make the best of the inevitable, and decided to take a month in our car to get from New York to San Francisco and, seeing it was late in the year, it was the correct time to take the Southern route, which we did, via Maryland, Virginia, right down to Texas and so on, via Boulder Dam to Los Angeles and San Francisco, most enjoybale and never-to-be-forgotten. During that month the world's unrest had gotten no better, so we were thankful to be on our last lap homewards.

The balance of 1938 was largely taken up in organising the market for Brook Motors, and in making sure that the policy should make it imperative that the progress of Brook Motors should also register better progress still on Renold Transmission. Working on the old lines, I immediately set about getting a right head, with the necessary knowledge and ability to take charge of that section, and having in mind the wonderful success made of the Brook Agency by one, George Lockhead, in 1927, I got on his trail and eventually dug him out in Australia, and prevailed upon him to come back again to New Zealand and sell Brook Motors as a special line, which he did, and with his education of our then existing salesmen selling Renold, with his own enthusiasm for Renold not yet dead, and his enthusiasm for Brook Motors greater than it ever was, it has to be a success, and it has been a success. Very early in the piece our Renold salesmen found what a terrific advantage they now had from the inauguration of the Brook Agency; our Renold sales increased with less cost, and less effort, as we became more and more known as sellers of the motors as well as the transmission, and that has continued to date. I have got a great kick out of the fact that since that visit to Huddersfield, Rotary Club and Brook, we have helped the industry of that city to the tune of a little over £30,000.

During 1939 our Labour Government decided to put on to industry importation by license only. This caused a tremendous lot of headaches, and I am afraid, a lot of bad language in some quarters; but it did not seriously affect our business, in that we were so closely connected with industry which the Labour policy of this government had determined to expand, that they had to be consistent and practically allow all that we desired of all our industrial lines, even though a special and extra license was necessary. Therefore on this account, our turnover and business did not suffer. Competition was still keen, we were all on our toes and we were all doing a good job and selling good goods.

One thing that the licensing laws so far as imports were concerned did, was to make us apprehensive as regards the possibility of the carrying on of Margetts, in Christchurch, as a possible proposition. Although greatly assisted in the past by the sale of Tapley Ferodo Meters, the position was again becoming chronic, and our debit of over £2,000 with uncertain business and War looming ahead, seemed too unsafe. I therefore decided that, although he had done a good job with Ferodo, it was no good to us or him if he had eventually to go bankrupt, so we eventually got him to agree for us to control his banking account, through an accountant in Christchurch, so that we could always by fully au fait with his position at any time. After a few months of this, it was so obviously hopeless to continue that we eventually got him to agree to go into liquidation. A meeting was held and I was duly appointed Liquidator, and a few weeks after, I decided that I would employ Margetts on the premises, buy over his Ferodo stock and run it my way, and see if it was possible to keep the goodwill of the good work he had done, and at the same time find him a better job than he had had as his own master.

It so happened that as restrictions of importations got tighter, certain goods got shorter, particularly in the lines other than Ferodo that he had in stock, and I was able to realise at enhanced prices a good portion of his stock. I gave him a good price, really a better price than I could afford to do, for his Ferodo stock, and finally the creditors and myself were agreeably surprised to be able to pay a final dividend totalling 18s. 3d. in the £.

From then on we got behind that Branch with just Margetts as salesman, and Mr Elphick as inside man, and an errand boy, a very intelligent lad. With careful guidance and hard work on the part of the team, six months had not gone by before I could see that we were not going to make a loss on the Christchurch Branch, provided normal trade appertained throughout the country. It is very pleasing to note that everybody down there is doing a great deal better than they ever did for themselves, and at the same time making a small profit for A R Christian Ltd, and keeping the name FERODO growing bigger and bigger all the time.

I might say that the Brook Agency has assisted considerably this last two years; but even without that, they have brought Ferodo sales to a sufficient average volume to make sure that no loss occurs in that Branch. Another illustration of a darned good salesman no good as an employer.