TRADE WITH GERMANY

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 54, 6 March 1922, Page 7

TRADE WITH GERMANY

PRECAUTIONS IN AUSTRALIA.

KDK

SYDNEY, 22nd February. According to the Prime Minister (Mr. Hughes), there is no likelihood of the resumption of trade with Germany resulting in British and Australian goods having to contend with unfair competition. Mr, Hughes has 'announced that it merchants were declining to buy British and Australian goods because they were under the impression that when trade relations were resumed with Germany, German prices would be so much below those ruling in •. Australia as to. make their purchases of British and Austra 1 lian goods unprofitable, they were proceeding on the false assumption that German exporters would be allowed the benefit of the depreciation of the mark. .This, he explained; was a delusion, as the Anti-Dumping Act provided ; the necessary machinery to enable British and Australian interests to be safeguarded. Parliament would, Mr. Hughes said, meet before the embargo on trade with Germany expired, and if the present Act were found insufficient to protect British and Australian industries against unfair competition, steps would be taken to see that justice was done. "I do not want," said the Prime Minister, "any importers to be under any misapprehension>«s to the intentions of the Government.' The avowed intention of the legislation is to safeguard British and Australian industries. If 75 per cent, exchange duty were the only protection afforded by the Act, it would not be protection against Germany and Bussia, and it would therefore be necessary to look to the other sections of the Act, by which ample protection is afforded/ The Anti-Dumping Act is not the only factor which threatens importations from Germany, when the embargo is lifted in August. It would appear from advices received by Melbourne merchants that official action has been taken^ in Germany; to prevent the acceptance of orders-.on the "mark basis. A letter received by a Melbourne firm, from a German manufacturing company states: " It is absolutely impossible to obtain permission to export any goods ordered after 14th December last if the goods have been sold in mark currency. No new orders will be accepted based on the mark currency. Even payments in advance of orders cannot be accepted if the orders were placed since 14th December." ( -~