“MADE IN JAPAN”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 20 April 1934, Page 7

“MADE IN JAPAN”

COMPETITION WITH N.Z. WOOLLENS COPYING 03 ; BRANDS ALLEGED Investigations arc being carried on by a New Zealand firm of woollen manufacturers into complaints that Japanese woollen goods bearing an exact replica of iheir brand have been brought into Now Zealand and marketed, says the Christehuieh 'Press No tar the complaints hav ( , noi been substantiated, but the firm takes so serious a view of the allegation that one of its members is at present engaged in an investigation throughout New Zealand. The first intimation the firm had was when the daughter of tlie chairman of directors was told of the copying. Within a few days the firm received three other complaints, all from Christchurch. It was alleged that the brand was placed on goods of high quality, and in tho usual position for the brand on New Zealand made articles, but in addition the goods bore in very small lettering tlie legend “Made in Japan.” A manufacturer said that if the copying could be proved it would show that Japanese competition was becoming a menace to New Zealand manufacturers, and that manufacturers would be forced to appeal to the Government to take some step that would amount almost to prohibition of imports. Most of the New Zealand mills were in an unfortunate position, because their products were most widely known under a brand which was the name of the place where the factory was situated, and this could not bo made a registered brand.

high duality goods Japanese competition in woollen goods was just now beginning to make itself fell. It should bo realised, lie said, that not all Japanese woollen goods were shoddy. Some of the articles which lmd been displayed by importers were of the highest quality, and it was in this that the danger to New Zealand industry lay. In general, the Japanese could turn” out a comparable article at about, half the price landed in New Zealand. A northern mill, which for years had suppliod a warehouseman with an annual order of five to six hundred dozen football jerseys lost that order this year because an importer could offer Japanese jerseys of similar quality at a price at which the local mill could not possible compete. Instances of this sort were common in the North Island, where large quantities of Japanese goods of all"types were being landed. “The North Island insists on cheapness rather than quality,” said the manufacturer. “We have found through the years that high quality articles which will sell readily in Christchurch and Dunedin will not be considered in North Island towns. It is this insistence, on cheapness that enables the Japanese manufacturer to do so much business in the North Island. Japan is only, just turning to the export of woollens on a large-scale. As yet, she has a huge market in the East which she is rapidly developing. When that market is satisfied, there is no doubt that there will be a. concentration on Now Zealand. Local mills have no hope of competing it this comes about.”

CUSTOMS VIGILANT The Customs Department Iras been keeping a very close watch recently for Japanese goods branded in such a way as to be misleading., and where an instance of tins sort is discovered, the goods are prohibited from entering New Zealand. A customs official said that the Japanese could not altogether bo blamed, because in some cases they had been sent samples of goods by local importers with instructions to copy the same exactly, and Eastern manufacturers wore expert at copying of this sort. A New Zealand importer last year was showing samples of Japanese woollen underwear round New Zealand. The garments were of good quality, and bore a rubber stamped brand which said “All pure Empire wool.” "It was not really misrepresentation,” sJfd the importer, “because there is a Japanese empire. The thought that is worrying us is that probably a big proportion of the wool used in the manufacture of the garments came from New Zealand, and while the purchase of the wool no doubt did New Zealand growers a lot of good, its manufactured form is threat, e.iing the New Zealand woollen industry. The present Government is very keen on protecting, the primary producer. but in its treatment of secondary industiTcs is about the worst Government we have ever had.”