EMPIRE PROBLEMS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 313, 1 December 1933, Page 7

EMPIRE PROBLEMS.

COMPETITION FROM JAPAN. REVIEW FOR PARLIAMENT. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Nov. 29. Speaking during a debate in the House of Commons on the effect on export trade of Japanese competition, Mr Walter ltunciman (President of the Board of Trade) said the Government had for a very long time been kept fully informed of the position in Lancashire. They had been giving attention to the best and most profitable way of approaching the problems which increased Japanese competition involved. When last before the House the Government expressed itself in favour of an attempt being made by the industrialists themselves in the first place, and it had been justified by what had happended in India in the last four months. The fall of imports of English cloths into India was one of the greatest problems that had to be faced. The Indian boycott was now over and Lancashire was about to regain some portion of the market lost during the boycott. Fortunately, the industrialists who went to India were able to reach an agreement with the cotton producers. There were other parts of the world where it was not so easy to deal with the situation, and in India itself they had not been able to dispose of the whole problem. Japan was a very large importer into India, and the imports had been going up year by year. The Indian Government was very much alive to the situation and was in the closest consultation with representatives of Japan. If there was any delay in these negotiations it had not been the fault of the British Government.

Referring to unfair competition based on infringement of designs and trade marks, Mr Runciman said this was a matter which gave cause for a good deal of trouble, not in this country so much as elswhere, for here machinery for dealing with the infringement of trade marks and copyrights of designs was fairly complete. In some portions ,of the British Empire, however, goods had been imported from Japan bearing British names and British trade marks.

That was a form of dishonesty which any Government, whether in the east or the west, ought to do its best to suppress. If it was necessary to take steps, and if the Government would be given material on which to take steps, it was prepared to take them, but lie hoped that by making representations the necessary impression would be made on the minds of those in control of Japanese commercial affairs. He did not see that there would be any advantage to Lancashire industry, if it began, as was suggested in some quarters, by abrogating the Anglo-Jap-anese Treaty, which he reminded the House so affected some thirty other countries in the British Empire. He preferred first to exhaust all other means, but if Parliament found it necessary to renounce the Treaty, then he would consider the whole subject from a different point of view and with quite a different intent.