JAPANESE GOODS

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 36, 11 August 1933, Page 6

JAPANESE GOODS

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Will you allow me ,to put forward a few points on Japanese competition that may make tho people .of New Zealand realise what they are doing .by supporting the Japanese. .' 1. The value of exports to New Zealand detailed in the "British Pottery Gazette" issued July, 1933, shows almost a S3 1-3 per cent, drop! for the month of May, whilst tho exports, for. the. five months ending May 31 show a decline of only 20 per cent. This shows; that the reduction gets worse as the year goes on; - 2. It is reported in the "Pottery Gazette" that in a pottery in Nagoya, Japan, where a hundred people are eraployed, 75 per cent, were' children • under ten years of age,' receiving as wages' 15 sen a day—3d per day. 3. It is also reported in the sarao paper that 42% per cent, of the British pottery workers are working only about three days and a half per week. The Japanese are competing -with the rest of the world on a."wago basis" that one hopes will never bo countenanced here. It seems that we in New Zealand are paying the wages of child workers in Japan whilst we cannot help our own. I would say to tho housewives, "When you bay your' cups and saucers, plates, etc., or for that matter any article, see that it is British, and. don't persuade yourself that it is only loyalty that should tempt you to buy British. It is not fair to yourself, your sons and duughterfl, or your neighbour "to feed and clothe others whilst this country is in need." —I am, etc. .■'■■;:.. - 11. W. CALDWELL.