GRAVE CONCERN EXPRESSED

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21908, 8 October 1936, Page 12

GRAVE CONCERN EXPRESSED

EMPIRE’S IMPORTATION OF LOW-PRICED GOODS

JAPAN’S EXPORT TRADE

(PEE3B ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

WELLINGTON, October 7.

The remit viewing with grave concern the increasing importation into the Empire of low-priced goods from countries with low standards of living, and urging his Majesty’s Governments to lay before the next Imperial Conference the seriousness of such competition, was further discussed to-day at the congress of the British Empire Chambers of Commerce. Mr Percy Ainley (Huddersfield) strongly supported the resolution. He said Japan established factories with British machinery, supervised for a short period with British expert teaching. She nevqr required spare parts for machinery, at first filling the necessary requirements from blacksmiths’ shops and now with modern engineering factories. She bought old machinery and made it modern, and now she was a real menace. Mr Ross (Auckland said that Japan was a great nation of 60,000,000 people, which was increasing rapidly. She haa to expand. If an effort were made to prevent expansion, Japan had a firstclass navy, a great atroy, ana was v-ry powerful in the air. He took the view that Japan’s cheap goods increased the standard of living of British purchasers. He asked whether the resolution was not just another turn of the screw of economic nationalism. The world would never be prosperous again till international trade resumed something like its old volume, and he asked the congress to be consistent and vote the resolution out. Australia’s Action

Mr T. B. Hooper (Brislpne) said that Australia had taken the right step in loading cheap Japanese goods with a tariff that was really prohibitive. Britain should take a leaf out of Australia’s book. He impressed on delegates, by specific industries, Japan’s skill and her high standard of work. Her workers had reached a higher standard than Australia or Europe. Mr E. Stanley Leatherby (Plymouth) quoted an instance in Britain of a tariff being placed against Japan and a ring being formed among Bri+ sh manufacturers to put up’ their price. Prices would have gone up had one manufacturer not broken the ring. Mr A. Spencer Watts (Sydney) said that they imposed duties in Australia, but they had no effect and did not benefit Britain. He agreed with Mr Ross that things adjusted themselves. Japan had to import as well as export, and the standard of living in industrial areas in Japan was not below those of other countries. He saw more poverty, dirt, and ill-nourishment in some British industrial areas than he saw in Japan.

“Low Standards of Living"

Mr Watts moved an amendment to omit from the resolution the words referring to countries with low standards of living. _ ji , Alderman F. W. Cook (Dudley, England) seconded the amendment. Ha said that he thought they were on the wrong lines. Britain turned out the world’s best goods. In cheap goods Japan was supreme. He recalled Germany as a former producer of cn eap goods, not Britain. It was a question of organisation and pulling together. British manufacturers were fighting each other; so, also, w.ere the workers Mr W. B. Darker (Adelaide) moved to carry the resolution with a following one, to read as fallows: —‘j i.at this congress views w,ith grave concern the increasing importation into the British Empire of low-priced goods, and, being aware that conditions of labour and wages in some foreign countries do not give a fair competitive opportunity to Empire producers, urges his Majesty’s Governments to lay before the next Imperial Conference the seriousness of such competition.” This met with general approval, and the congress passed to the next business.

Weight of Parcels Mr Norton Francis (Christchurch) moved; “This congress notes with regret that the Governments of Australia, South Africa, the Irish Free State, and India have not seen their way to increase the limit on the weight of parcels from overseas to pounds, and urges on the Governments concerned the importance of rectifying the position as soon as possible. The motion Was carried. The desirability of uniform aviation insurance throughout the Empire was expressed .j a remit from S>dn y, which was carried. A number of the British delegates opposed it, ivir Wigglesworth expressing their view that it was impracticable the presMr D. Mcßryde (West Indies) moved that the congress urge his Majesty s Governments to give further and careful consideration to the recommendations of the previous congress of 1933, viz., preference to (a) petroleum and / j. its derivatives either produced or refined within the British Empire; (b) petroleum and/or its derivatives, bath produced and refined within the British Empire due protection being accorded in its home markets to British indigenous petroleum refined m the country of origin. The resolution was Ca A resolution was carried urging the constituent members of the fede ation to take up with their own members tht necessity of using only containers or packages which can be relied on to safeguard the contents. At the invitation of the Melbourne Chamber, the desirability of estaoiirhing a system for the interchange of the high executive officers of the various branches of the public service, in the game manner as at present applies in the naval, military, and air force, was suggested to all Empire governments “A United Family”

The final agenda resolution adopted by the conference was one from Melbourne. the tenor of which was to declare that the British peoples faced the world as a united family, not with uniformity, but with unity. It expressed the desirability of taking all possible means to maintain the closest liaison between the Dominions and dependencies comprising the Empire, for the better development of commerce and industry, and for the co-ordina-tion of Imperial defence, which was essential for the protection of the Empire’s trade and shipping routes. On the motion of Lord Elibank, seconded by Sir Thomas Wilford, a resolution of thanks was passed to the Gov-ernor-General (Lord Galway) for inaugurating the conference, and to Lord and Lady Galway in their hospitality to the delegates, and wishing them continued success in their high office. A vote of thanks was also tendered the Government and the Prime Minister for their interest in the congress, and their assistance in letting the delegates see something of New Zealand, its people, and its industry. Gratitude was also expressed to the New Zealand Associated Chambers, their president, and officials, for the many months’ preparation for the congress, and to the Mayor, Corporation, and people of Wellington, ,-ind the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. Tribute was paid to Lord Elibank’s presidency.