CHEAP JAPANESE CLOTHING

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27557, 14 January 1955, Page 10

CHEAP JAPANESE CLOTHING

No N.Z. Imports Of Shirts MR EYRE COMMENTS ON LONDON REPORT (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 13. Commenting on a London report that Japanese firms are offering shirts in the world markets at Is each, the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr D. J- Eyre) said today that no Japanese shirts were being imported into New Zealand. . .“The Prime Minister (Mr Holland) told the manufacturers’ conference last year that licences will not be granted for Japanese goods that can be made m New Zealand, and there is an important clothing industry in this country.’’ said Mr Eyre. “Japanese garments have been coming into New Zealand in increasing quantities during the last nine months, but they are not as yet a serious threat to the New Zealand industry,” said Mr A. Woolley, president of the Textile and Garment Manufacturers’ Federation of New Zealand, in Auckland today. “Repeated approaches have been made to the Government for reassurances about the amount of Japanese garments to be allowed into New Zealand, but so far the onlv answer has been that the New Zealand industry will not suffer.

“If the Government ‘lets the lid off’ on the importation of Japanese garments, the position will be serious, as their quality is good and they are cheap,” said Mr Woolley. “But I do not think this is likely to happen.”

AUSTRALIAN ATTITUDE

UNFAIR COMPETITION OPPOSED CANBERRA, January 13. Australia would not allow her own industry to be destroyed or the industries of the United Kingdom to be robbed of Australia as a market by unfair competition by Japan, the M nister of Commerce (Mr John McEwen) said yesterday. He was commenting on a London report that Japanese firms are offering shirts in the world markets at a shilling.

Mr McEwen said he had no official knowledge of what was reported as occurring, but that if the situation did exist, or if it developed, the policy of the Australian Government was quite clear.

“We believe that from every point of view it is desirable that Japan should be able to exist in the commercial sense amongst the nations of the world. “On Ithe other hand, the policy of the Australian Government is clear and definite beyofid question—that we will not allow our own Australian industry to be destroyed or damaged by unreasonable competition. “We are certainly interested to see that the industries of the United Kingdom are not rendered incapable of continuing to look to Australia as a great market as the result of any unfair competition. “Neither in the G.A.T.T. negotiations nor by any other action will we retreat from this policy,” Mr McEwen added.