BUSY JAPANESE

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 274, 21 November 1919, Page 5

BUSY JAPANESE

AFTER BRITAIN'S TRADE,

SECURING FOOTHOLD IN NEW

ZEALAND.

"Wellington to-day has more travelling representatives of American firms and manufacturers than Britain ever dreamed of sending here, and they are getting busy. I know there

is a danger of an American invasion, because the invasion has already commenced," said a well-known business man of Wellington. "While I recognise this very obvious fact, and say that New Zealand must look to her responsibilities to the Empire, believe me the danger of a Japanese commercial invasion is greater still. Singe the war the Japanese have taken advantage of Britain's trade dislocation and have extended their trade to a marvellous dogree, and now New Zealand and other places are being flooded with Japanese goods of all descriptions. Yes, the Japs have got busy. They possess a good deal of iniative; they art-; certainly clever; but as copyists they ara indeed hard to beat.

"Now, I know something of the motor trade, and I also deal a good deal in aceessoriss—tyres, lamps, tulws, also bicycles and similar gcods. The Japanese have certainly been active, and they, have succeeded in securing good proportion of trade. They could deliver the goods, and that was the end of it. People had to procure the stuff, and when you c&n't get what you want—well, you •fcave to buy, the ne"st best tiling. They have secured more than what is called a look in, But I don't think the business has come to stay . "The average quality of their manufactures is miles behind that of Britain—with all her faults, Britain does deliver good goods j but the trouble appears to be. that at present she cannot deliver them, because she hasn't got them. When normal times return, she must come into her own again, and then it will be good-bye to a lot of inferior Japanese stuff now supplying the market. "I know that in other lines Japan has got a strong footing. There are many things she can do, but I can't see her competing and' succeeding against Britain in the matter of manufactures. lam not going to particularise, because that would be unfair to business men, who, after all, are out for business not pleasure; but there is no comparison, generally speaking, between the British Japanese goods—the former it made to: last, while the latter is made to sell.

"Yes, trade has improved since the war. We are getting more supplies and the quality had shown a slight improvement. When Britain sreally gets going she will, I am confident, soon regain her place, and Japanese and other competitors will be ousted." - .