Trade With Japan

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 196, 16 May 1936, Page 13

Trade With Japan

Sir, —Now that the League of Nations has fallen, is it not time that the British Empire (should unite in a more closer manner? This country han for come time been' a dumping ground for products produced in Japan. The resitective Governments have been approached by deputations in an endeavour to prevent this dumping or to make it possible for British firms to compete on an economical basis with Japan in this market. 'Whenever this matter has been broached, there has always been the cry that we cannot take any action with Japan, owing to her being one of our largest customers for our wool.

If one compared the figures with the amount purchased by Great Britain, u would be found that Japan is not the largest purchaser. Apparently it has been overlooked that Japan at. the present moment does not produce her own wool, and is compelled to purchase her requirements from wool-producing countries. there is a shortage of wool in the world to-day, she is, on the face of the matter, compelled to purchase her raw wool from New Zealand. We do not ask for a I'i'ehibitive tariff, but only that within the British Commonwealth the Mother Country be enabled to compete economically with foreign firms. We hear to-day that Japan lias imported and is importing stud ewes ami rams from New Zealand and Australia, and that she Ims placed contracts for further purchases. Only recently a representative of the Japanese Government arrived in this country with the object of purchasing our stud sheep, and as No" Zealand farmers are not allowed to import either stud sheep or cattle from any other country one considers this as being short-sightedness. Docs not this strike one as a foolish policy? It is apparent that the time will come, and this not far ahead, when Japan will be in a position to supply her own demands for wool, ami will eventually have surplus stocks, whiea will be dumped in the form of materjai or raw wool in our own markets.

Some years ago, when Japan first: commenced to export cheap commodities in the form of artificial silks and crockery, people generally scoffed at the idea that this would ever come lo anything. Now what is the position? She has flooded every British colony and possession with her wares, making it impossible for British and local manufacturers to compete. We hear now that she is competing with this country in the Home market, in one of our primary products, namely, butter. If this is to continue, what will be the outcome? Perhaps we arc leaving it to Japan to both' feed and cloth the universe.

There is one other point regarding the source and demand of wool; do we not hear, and is it not known, that the production of synthetic wool is going ahead in leaps and bounds? Already it is said that .Mussolini clothed his army with materials made from artificial fibre. We also know that Germany is a large niantif.aetnrer of tin’s type of material. Why do we not wake up to these facts before it is too late, for it would appear that we are “robbing the goose that laid the golden egg.”—l am, etc.. ADVANCE. Wellington, May 1.5.