LOW-PRICED GOODS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 7 October 1936, Page 6

LOW-PRICED GOODS

SERIOUS FOREIGN COMPETITION RESOLUTION FOR IMPERIAL CONFERENCE (By Telegraph—Press Association) WELLINGTON, This Day. The Empire Chambers of Commerce Congress was continued this morning. In a debate on low-priced goods from countries with a low standard of living, the high quality of Japanese skill and products was acknowledged by all speakers, the only question at issue being whether action could be taken or not. A number of delegates supported the resolution,, without being persuaded that it - would take them very far. Mr A. Spencer Watts (Sydney)/ moved an amendment to delete the words “countries with low-standards of living,” leaving the question one. of the importation of low-pricedd goods.

Mr F. W. Cook, (Dudley,. England), in seconding the amendment, said that Japan was supreme in the cheap goods market. Britain was the producer of the worlds’ best quality goods. He recalled that the cheap goods market formerly belonged to Germany, not Britain.

Mr W. B. Darker (Adelaide), mov-. ed a further amendment to merge the resolution with another resolution reading “This Congress views with grave concern the increasing importation into the British Empire of lowpriced goods and, being aware that conditions of labour and wages in some foreign countries do not give a fair competitive opportunity to Empire producers, urges His Majesty’s Governments to lay Before the next Imperial Conference the seriousness of such competition.”

This met with general approval ajid the Congress passed to the next business.