AUSTRALIA’S NEW TARIFF

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21792, 26 May 1936, Page 11

AUSTRALIA’S NEW TARIFF

NO OFFICIAL PROTEST FROM JAPAN IMMIGRATION FROM BRITAIN THE ULTIMATE AIM (USMED PUESS ASSOCIATION COi'YRKIHT.) (Received May 25, 8.15 p.m.) CANBERRA, May 25. Sir Henry Gullett, Minister in charge of Trade Treaties, said today that so far he had received no official protest from Japan about the new Federal tariff. He was confident that when the position was fully examined Japan would see that its trade would not be adversely affected to any extent. The Prime Minister (Mr J. A. Lyons) said that the new tariff had a two-fold purpose—to provide preference for British goods and thereby creating markets for Australia ! primary products, and the stimulation of Australia’s secondary industries. The ultimate aim was the resumption of immigration from Britain on a moderate scale. PROTECTING JAPAN’S TRADE COUNTER MEASURES TO BE TAKEN (Received May 25, 8.15 p.m.) TOKYO, Mcy 24. Referring to the Australian tariff, Mr H. Arita (the Prime Minister) told the Lower House that the Government must now take countermeasures to protect Japan’s trade interests after consulting the organisations involved, but he hoped Australia would speedily reconsider her decision. GREAT SATISFACTION IN LANCASHIRE i AUSTRALIA’S TARIFF CHANGES BENEFIT TO TEXTILE INDUSTRY ami:isu official wireless. ) RUGBY, May 23. Great satisfaction is expressed in l Lancashire with the Government s announcement, made in Australia in the House of Representatives yesterday, of the introduction of the new duties and import licensing system, which is framed to divert a large portion of Australian buying from countries which at present draw little frem Australia, to those which buy a great deal, and especially the United Kingdom, which is her best customer. The revision of the cotton duties is expected to inc: ease imports from Lancashiie of textiles now bought from Japan by something like £ 1,000,000 annually. The president of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce says that the changes represent a real effort by the Australian Government to secure a distinefen in the textile trade as between Britain and Japan. In the I period 1233-1936 British cotton ex- ; ports to Australia fell from 137.000. yards to 104,000,000 yards, while Japanese exports rose from 28,000.000 to 50,000,000 yard’s. British exports of rayon goods to Australia remained steady at about 10.000. while Japanese exports increased from 13,000,000 to 60.000. yards. For some time past the increasing i balance in Austra'ian trade with the United States has been causing great anxiety in the Commonweaito | on account of the resulting embarI rassment in the balancing of payI ments. Efforts had been made to secure the cc-cp.Tction of the United States Government, which had been urged to relieve the posif on by buying more from Australia, or by formulating some triangular arrangement, making it easier lor i Australia to pay for the huge quantities of goods she has been accusi tomed to buy from the United I Slates. The failure of these efforts (has caused the Ccmmonwea’th Gov- ' ernment to take steps to reduce the | volume of American imports. Even i under the new system there will rc- • main a heavy and unfavourable bal- ; ance. ________________