TRADE WITH JAPAN

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28823, 18 February 1959, Page 17

TRADE WITH JAPAN

Representations I To Mr Nash Rumours of a prospective trade agreement between Japan and < New Zealand which might 1 adversely affect some New Zealand manufacturing industries, had led to fils making representation.to the Prime Minister (Mr Nash), said thp president of the Canterbury district council of the Federation ofLabour (Mr R. H. McDonald) last evening. There had been.' - talk of an agreement as -a ’result of Mr Nash's forthcoming visit to Japan, Mr McDonald said, and comments by the Tokyo trade mission visiting New Zealand had focused attention op Japan’s desire to compete with New Zealand factories. The point he had made to Mr Nash when he. telephoned him' last evening was that a trade agreement might affect some New Zealand manufacturing industries which could reasonably be considered to be producing goods of good quality and which did not need the stimulus of imports from a country with a much lower living standard and wage structure. Mr Nash had promised that he would consider the representations, Jtlr McDonald added. Assurance On Licences The Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association.had had an assurance, “emanating from the Government,” that there would be no extension of existing licences for Imports from Japan, said Mr R. T. • Alston, secretary' of . the association, last evening.