JAPANESE COMPETITION.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 30 June 1933, Page 5

JAPANESE COMPETITION.

SELLING PRICE LESS THAN COST OP N.Z. MATERIAL. DUTIES ON LADIES’ UNDERWEAR (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Friday. The joint case on behalf of the New Zealand manufacturers of women’s underwear was presented to the Tariff •Commission to-day by the representatives of three of the five major firms operating in the r Dominion. They sought the retention of the present duty of 27 i per cent, on United King-, dom manufactures, 40 per cent, on the remaining parts of the Empire and- 55 per cent, on foreign imports. They stated firms operating in New Zealand had & capital of £l/13,000f paying wages amounting to £595 weekly. The wages of females in New, Zealand were 34s lOd weekly, against 25s 5d in England.

Japanese competition was the subject ,of complaint and it stated that, in many instances, the price of Japanese finished goods was lower than the cost the New Zealand manufacturer had to pay for his material. Quality for quality the Japanese made a cheaper article and the Japanese quality -was good. Professor Murphy asked Mr Mander, the imanufacjturers’ representative: ,I>o you think you can compete with this by a tariff? ■ Mr Mander: Not by a tariff alone. The standard of living in Japan is very much lower than in New Zealand and the competition is unfair. Professor Murphy: If that is so, practically the whole of international trade is unfair.