EMPIRE TRADE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21480, 2 May 1933, Page 13

EMPIRE TRADE

Sir, —In the Herald of April 22 Mr. Coates is quoted as saying, " If New Zealand could not obtain satisfactory prices for her produce, we must come dangerously near to tho point when we will be unable to meet our responsibilities, to Britain.".To talk,of default is ugly, more so as Mr. Coates himself was instrumental in increasing our commitments on London by increasing the exchange rate to 25 per cent. During the past few months we have heard and read a lot about Empire prefer-' enco, but although New Zealand demands an unrestricted entry for her produce into Britain, she is putting every possible obstacle in tho way of the sale of British goods in New Zealand. Recently I went into a city emporium and observed in one department a stack of pieces of satin of every colour imaginable at a ridiculously low price. Interrogation elicited the information that it was made in Japan. In conversation with an assistant in another department, I was assured it was the general order of things throughout tho trade. Japanese labour is very poorly paid and goods are therefore procurable from Japan at a very much lower rate than would buy British articles. Men's and women's summer underwear, pullovers, braces, piece goods, slippers, hats and numerous other articles are flooding our markets to the exclusion of British. Previously the high standard of workmanship and superiority of British goods have given an "open sesame" to trade, but cheap Japanese labour is now offsetting advantages gained. British ships coming out in ballast are the order of tho day, as the British manufacturer has little chance in the New Zealand market owing to exorbitant taxation and the reduced spending power of the individual. Why is Britain expected to take our produce without reservation when New Zealand has not learned to reciprocate? In view of Mr. Coates' remarks, it is surely a case of exhausting the nation's credit in one market and passing on to another with • our cash. "Whatsoever jg would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them." Buy British^