Concern At U.S. Plan To Curb Woollen Imports

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30056, 14 February 1963, Page 13

Concern At U.S. Plan To Curb Woollen Imports

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter — Copyright)

OSAKA (Japan), Feb. 12. The Japan Wool and Linen Textile Exporters’ Association said today it had decided to appeal to Western European wool textile exporters for cooperation in fighting a reported United States plan to restrict woollen textile imports. A spokesman for the association said European exporters were reported to be holding consultations after a

statement on January 30 by the United States Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Mr Hickman Price.

Mr Price said the Kennedy Administration would take action to curb woollen textile imports from Japan, Britain and Italy. Japanese exporters did not want to be left out of the European consultations, the spokesman said. Britain’s Earnings Britain’s wool textile industry earned £l5O million in foreign exchange last year —7 per cent, less than in 1961, the chairman of the National Wool Textile Export Corporation, Mr J. D. Hood, announced today. He told a press conference the British wool textile industry had maintained its place as the nation’s sixth largest export industry. Mr Hood said that United States efforts to restrict imports of wool cloth by quota were based on some “very misleading’’ figures. Industry in America claimed that imports of manufactured wool textiles were equal to 20 per cent, of United States consumption. Imports Added , It reached that figure by adding together imports of carpets, garment, hosiery and knitwear and wool cloth, as well as the wool content of imports of yarns, tops, noils and waste.

Mr Hood said that imports of woven cloth alone were

equal only to 5 to 7 per cent, of United States consumption. Woollen textiles were one of Britain’s most important currency earners in the Common Market.

Mr Alan Green, Minister of State at the Board of Trade, said tonight the British Government would be gravely concerned if the United States limited the import of wool products.