INDUSTRY REVIVAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 115, 18 May 1933, Page 7

INDUSTRY REVIVAL.

CONDITIONS IN BRITAIN. EFFECT OF NEW TARIFFS. Comment on the revival of industry ill England was made to-day by & former Auckland business man, Mr. W. F. Connor, who returned to Auckland this week as representative of a group of British manufacturers, and expects to spend about two years in the Dominion. Mr. Connor said that Britain was nowstarting to make headway through the depression, largely assisted by the tariffs imposed against foreign goods, which, in particular, had assisted Bradford, where fine woollens wore manufactured extensively. There had formerly been much keen competition from Roubaix, in France. The tariff wall had enabled the British manufacturers to launch out, and they had done so with gratifying results. They could now supply at competitive prices any article previously -imported from France. "The Japanese trade is definitely a menace, particularly from the point of view of manufacturers, since you can't possibly bring the level of British workmen down to that of Japanese workmen," said Mr. Connor. "According to our standard of civilisation, it would mean conditions bordering on starvation." German and American goods had been seriously affected, as regards importation into, England, by the new duties, which were, ho thought, a gesture on England's part against the high tariffs of U.S.A. and other countries. At the coming World Economic Conference there would be an.attempt to rid the world of high tariff walls. ' Discussing the importation of New Zealand produce into England, Mr. Connor said there was a lack of sufficient propaganda work and enterprise. New Zealanders in England were regarded as 100 per cent British, being treated well on all sides, but we had been taking too much for granted, with the result that New Zealand produce in England was merely a name. "We ought to get busy and tell the English public all about it," he said. "Let them know about the quality of the products we produce in this country. From my observations I have come to the conclusion that Australia is pushing much harder than New Zealand is. The fact that our trade with Britain had increased was no reason to sit down and bo satisfied. ' A big push would greatly ■ boost our exports and popularise our produce, and also firm up prices." Mr. Connor said that the general attitude of British people to Germany was sympathetic. It appeared that the attitude of the average business man had greatly improved, while the attitude toward the French was not what it was. The German business people could be relied upon in business; they were efficient and honest.