JAPANESE VISITOR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 48, 26 February 1935, Page 11

JAPANESE VISITOR.

WOOL EXPERT ON TOUR. BUTTER MARKET WIDENING. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, Monday. Among the passengers who disembarked from the Maheno at Bluff thi3 morning was Mr. F. Nomura,, of Oeaka, Japan. In an interview, he stated he was visiting New Zealand to study the wool industry on behalf of his firm, C. Itoh and Company, of Osaka. It is his intention to attend the various wool sales throughout the Dominion, and altogether ho will spend six weeks m this country. He has already spent &vs months in Australia, visiting the main centres where wool eales are held, and inquiring into the general conditions ruling in the trade there.

Speaking of conditions in Japan, Mr. Nomura said the cotton mills were working full time. The industry was the chief one in Japan, and had reached its peak production this year. The manufacture of woollen goods had not yet reached such a high standard, but the output was increasing each year, and the carding and spinning of yarn was giving additional employment. It was thought Japan's purchase of wool would reach record figures this year, but unforseen circumstances had caused an alteration in plans. From October to December output had been reduced by 40 per cent, and from January to March it had been found neceseary to put ofY 10 per cent of staff. This, hn pointed out, had had a serious effect on the working people of Japan, where so huge a proportion of the population was industrial, and meant a large decrease in spepduig power.

Tho increase in the production of woollen goods was attributed by Mr. Nomura to tho fact that tho people were turning more to Western habits of drese. Butter find cheese were now being bought in increasing quantities, and tho Japanese were becoming accustomed to these foods, eo that a wide field was opening up for Australian and New Zealand produce.