Woollen-Factories in Japan.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1518, 6 January 1887, Page 3

Woollen-Factories in Japan.

The council of the Woolgrowers' Association of Australasiahas received a Ttry encouraging letter from Yokohama as to the prospect of establishing woollen factories in Japan. The .writer, Mr. G. Watson, after pointing out, on the authority of two prominent Japanese gentleman, that the native woollen mills at Senji are sufficiently .prosperous to render the Government unwilling to part with them, adds :— "«Th.ere would be no friction with tho Seniimills if new mills were started, .aspSenji is altogether incapable of supplying the Government requitements, to say nothing of the general demand.'-'- We are promised the support of. the Government in army and -'navy supplies, and are 'satisfied that the Government would view with market! favour, the establishment of a company on the oasis proposed, by a mixed directorate- arid -mixed capital, as it is the Government policy to attract capital in this ?l way. It seems advisable that the first factory should be started- . at Osaka, the southern capital, as there the field is open, and we could' arrange for supplies to the southern portion of thetroops and marines, &c. The second /factory (provided the first proves sufficiently successful) 1 should i^be established at Nagasaki where fuel is cheap; and where cheap Chinese cotton, Ac, is procurable for mixing ; purposes, and from there the Cbrean markets could be dealt with. After Nagasaki we should take steps tif found our Tokio factory, and. we •'are of opinion that then the Senji - mills would either come to terms with us or retire in our favor, as they .could' not compete with our modern machinery and foreign business management. If you decide to take up this business there is no time to be loßt. Through the Japanese gentlemen named^the portion of Japanese capital required is assured, and they willj secure ..for the undertaking two Japanese .directors of the very highest standing if their own business arrangements will not' permit of their personally serving." It was decided at the meeting of the council of the association on Monday to make an active canvass of Melbourne with a view to obtaining £15,000, with which to carry out the, project referred- to in s the letter., f .' •;,','" ,r, r ,