JAPAN WOOLLEN COMPANY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17981, 26 January 1924, Page 10

JAPAN WOOLLEN COMPANY.

CHRISTCHURCH

DUNEDIN.

REPRESENTATIVES INTERVIEWED.

Mr M. Tamogami and Mr C. Yamaguchi, of the Nippon Kerori Kaisba, or Japan Woollen Company of Kobe, arrived in Christehurch yesterday morning after a combined business and pleasure trip, which has taken, them through Australia and the North Island. The Nipoon Keori Kaisha. is the largest woollen manufacturing firm in Japan, haying five factories, in and around Kobe. It uses about 99,C00 bales of wool per year, or roughly onethird of the total quantity imported into the country. Some of it is bought indirectly in the New Zealand market. About 12,000 men are employed in the factories.

Interviewed by a representative of '"The Press" yesterday, Mr Tamogami said that he and his friend left Japan on September 21st, shortly after the earthquake. Kobe felt slightly "shaky" during the upheaval, but no damage was (lone there. He mentioned that for a fortnight no mails could lie got to Tokyo, and only a few letters were brought away from that city by aeroplane. They arrived at Sydney on October 17th, and made a thorough tour of Australia. The wool stores and markets in Queensland, New South Wales. Victoria, and Tasmania, were investigated, and Mr Tamogami also saw much of the scenery. Commenting on the country, he said it was ''very nice," but he felt there was a sameness about the scenery which made that of New Zealand and Tasmania very pleasing, by contrast. On January~ 15th he arrived at Auckland, and since then he had been to Koto run, Taupo. Napier, Hastings, and Wellington. Regarding the hot springs, I he said "the country there is very similar to our own. especially to Hakone. where there is a lake. We haive many geysers, but Wairakei is the best I t«ver saw." "The New Zealand wool is very nice but it's too dear to buy!" he said laughingly, when asked what he thought of recent sales. Japan, he said, was a great country for manufacturing wool, as it had the necessary dampness of atmosphere, and cheap labour. • The importation of the raw material was increasing every year. All of the articles manufactured by ■ his firm were sold in his own country or in China.

Both gentleman were very pleased with the wav they have been treated in this country, which fhey appear to like. Christehurch, they think, however, is rather too windy and cool, an opinion shared, perhaps, by some of the natives.

"You should study Japanese, it's very important," said Mr Tamogami, and he went on to explain how easy it was for an Englishman to travel in Japan. Everywhere there were notices, and train guards and other officials all knew the language. The visitors leave for Drmedin today, and will return to Sydney early next month.

TIMBER PRICES.

NO CHANGE LIKELY FOR TWELVE MONTHS.

While nothing in the nature of a boom is in progress, the'building trade throughout the Dominion is flourishing,and the sawmills are busily engaged: executing orders. Mr Arthur Seed, secretary of the New Zealand Sawmillers' Association, informed a "Dominion" reporter on Wednesday that timber prices were at present stable, and lie did not think that any alteration need be feared within the next twelve months. There would certainly be no reduction in prices, and any increases wonld.be merely by way of adjustment if a run sets in for any particular class of timber. A large number of 'applications. it is understood, have been received for houses tinder the advances to settlers' scheme, and the Valuation Department's officers are at present reporting upon these. The whole building trade throughout the Dominion is at present active.

THE FRUIT MARKET.

Vegetables were in fair supply this week. The demand was. good and prices generally were satisfactory. A small quantity of new season's dessert apples was available this week, hut there were , not sufficient offering to lower prices. Apricots , and peaches are now in the height of the season, and this week large quantities were put through daily. They both met with a keen demand and prices remained firm at late rates. Outdoor-grown tomatoes made their appearance in fairly large quantities -this week, and prices were lower than last week. A email shipment of Sydney pints' arrived •in Christchurch yesterday. They met with a good demand and sold well. Quotations'"are as follows:

Apples, local dessert, per case up to 15s 9d; apples, cooking, per case up to 7s; apricots, " dessert, per, lb, up to 4d; apricots* cooking, per lb lid to 2d; grapes, Otago, firsts, per lb up to 2s; grapes, local, per lb up to Is 8d; nectarines, firsts, per ib, up to 9Jd; pineapples, Sydney, per case 255; pears, cooking, per case lJd to 2d; pears, dessert, per lb, up to 3d; peaches, cooking, per- lb, lid to 2d; peaches, dessert, per lb up to 7d; plums, cooking, per lb 2d; greengages, per-lb up to 5Jd; Burbanks, up .to 3d; raspberries, per lb up to Is 4d; tomatoes, sauce, per lb 2d; tomatoes, dessert, per lb up to sd; beans, /French,: up to sd; beet, per doz. bundles, up to Is 6d; cabbages, per doz, ud to 6s; cauliflowers, per doz, up to 103 Gd; carrots, per doz up to Is 6d; cucumbers, outdoor, -per case up to 3s 6d; green peas, per peck up to S3 3d; lettuce, per doz uj> to 2s 6d; marrows, per doz up to 6s 6d; new potatoes, i>er lb Jd .to Id; onions, local, per sugar bag up to 4s 6d; parsnips, per doz, un? to Is 6d; radishes, per doz. Gd; rhubarb, per doz. up to 23 6d; spring onions, per doz. up to 2s 3d; turnips, per doz. up to Is 6d.

(SPECIAX. TO "THE PRESS.") AUCKLAND, January 25. A large ouantity of fruit of all kinds was marketed to-day, and values were lower than during the earlier part of the "iveek. Prices were a3 follows: —Tomatoes, 2s Gd to 4s per case; Gravenstein apples, 6:i to l'2s, small 4a to ss; Aetrakans, up to 13s per case, small 4s to ss; hothouse gTapcs, Is to 2s 3d per lb; Burbank plums, 3s to 6s- per case; greengages, 8s to 10s; American oranges, 34s to 35s per case; Island oranges, 12s 6d to 153; pineapples (ex Sydney), ISs to 20s; passion fruit, 12s to 153.

AUCKLAND GAS COMPANY

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGIIAM.) AUCKLAXD, January 25. The Auckland Gas Company's annual report shows that for the twelve months ended December 31st List the net' profits amounted to £73,1C0. A dividend of 8 per cent, is recommended.