FRIENDSHIP

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 105, 31 October 1933, Page 9

FRIENDSHIP

AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN

CLEARING THE AIR

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, October 26.

Indications of the desire of the Commonwealth to preservo the friendly relations which exist between Japan and Australia were given this week by the publication of messages which have passed between the two countries in regard to proposed tariff changes. It is pointed out that the Commonwealth Government has shown, its friendliness by declining to accept a recommenda tion of the Tariff Board in regard to exchange. Had that recommendation been adopted it would have, automatically increased the duty on all goods imported from Japan. The effect of the Government's decision was that thoro would be no increase of duties on such goods as Japanese silks which did not compete with Australian , products. Any particular goods imported from Japan which were likely to affect Australian manufacturing industries, such as sandshoes and gumboots,- were subject to special inquiry by the Tariff Board before any action is taken.

Judging by tho cable messages the Australian attitude appears to have been misunderstood in Japan, and it was because of that that the Ministrytook action. The Minister of Customs (Mr. White1) recently received the following cable message from the president of the Japan Woollen Manufacturers' Association at Osaka: "Your Customs revision proposal, especially that relating to the exchange special additional duty,, is a matter of deep regret to >s. In the interests of the friendly relations between Australia and Japan we venture to solicit your good offices to the end that no such measure shall be taken aa is calculated to be injurious to the trade between the two countries."

In replying on behalf of the Australian Government Mr. White emphasised the desire that friendly relations between both countries should be fostored, >and he regretted that the Australian policy in a matter of tariffs had been misunderstood in Japan. The Government had' been moved by considerations . mentioned iii the telegram from Osaka and had not applied to Japanese goods the recommendations of tho Tariff Board. Instead the Government proposed that each item of nonBritish goods of a kind manufactured in Australia should be the subject of a public inquiry by the Tariff Board at which all interested parties could give evidence. He sincerely hoped that he had shown that the woollen association had sent its cable under a misapprehension of tho material facts.

Several Federal Ministers have been at great pains during the last week or so to emphasise the-friendly feeling which Australia has for Japan, and it i* felt that the Government must hay© received representations other than those which came from the woollen association at Osaka. Maybe tho Japanese Government has joined with Japanese manufacturers in forwarding protests to ttie Australian Government.