JAPANESE GOODS IN AUSTRALIA

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 15, 17 January 1919, Page 8

JAPANESE GOODS IN AUSTRALIA

(UtOH OUR OWN CORRIBPONBIMT.)

SYDNEY, 28th December. , It is, of course, common knowledge that Japan in the past four years made colossal efforts to capture the trade of Australia and New Zealand, formerly held by the nations recently locked in war. That Japan to a very considerable extent succeeded in entering these markets is proved by the figures, and is apparent to anyone who goes through the cheaper classes of shops in the bigger cities. The opinion is held almost unanimously by Sydney business men, however, that this Japanese invasion need not be viewed with alarm. Japan, in the last fifty years, has learned a great deal, and learned it marvellously well, but she has not yet acquired complete commercial efficiency. In other words, practically all importers who have anything to do with Japanese goods express dissatisfaction with something or other. There is almost always something unsatisfactory about the fulfilment, of, the order, and there 13 little doubt that British and American manufacturers will easily get back all their old trade. Japan will fight to hold her new connections, however, and keen battles in prices may be expected. The annual meeting the other day of the Australian Association of British Manufacturers stated that the Japanese cotton manufacturers were now in a very strong position, and their pressure was increasing daily. In the past twelve months, Japan had been able to put her cotton goods on the Australian markets at from 20 to 30 per cent, cheaper than they could be obtained from Manchester. It was resolved to go to the Federal Government and seek tariff protection in regard to this and other matters. In view of the tendency of British wages to increase, and the labour conditions in Japan, it is obvious that tariff adjustments are the only way to prevent Japan getting rich at the expense of the Mother Country, ./