TRADE RIVALRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22544, 8 October 1936, Page 12

TRADE RIVALRY

LOW-PRICEI) GOODS COMPETITION OF FOREIGNERS TARIFF BARRIER PROBLEM QUESTION FOR CONFERENCE [m* TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Wednesday Divergent opinions were expressed by delegates to tho congress of the I' odciation of Cluunbers of Comnieree of the British Empire when tho discussion on the remit expressing a grave concern at the increasing importation into the Empire of low-priced goods from countries with low standards of living, and urging His Majesty's Government to lav before the next Imperial Conference the seriousness of such competition, was continued to-day. Mr. Persy Ainley (Huddcrsfield) strongly supported the resolution. He explained how Japan had established factories with British machinery, supervised for a short period with British expert teaching. She never required spare parts for machinery, at first filling her necessary requirements from blacksmiths' shops and now from modern engineering factories. Sho bought old machinery and made it modern, and now was a real menace. Need for Expansion Mr. A. A. H oss (Auckland) pointed out that Japan was a great nation of 60,000,000 people, and was increasing rapidly, and had to expand. She possessed a first-class navy and a great army and was very powerful in the air. He took the view that Japan's cheap goods had increased the standard of living of British purchasers. He asked was the resolution not just another tnrn of tho screw of economic nationalism? The world would never be prosperous again till international trade resumed something like its old volume, and he aisked the congress to be consistent and vote the resolution out.

Mr. Hooper (Brisbane) said Australia had taken the right step in loading cheap Japanese-goods with a tariff that was really prohibitive. Britain should take a leaf out of Australia's book. Standard of Work Mr. Hooper impressed on tho delegates, by quoting specific industries, Japan's skill and the high standard of her work. Japanese workers reached a higher standard than those of Australia or Europe. Wo could not blame Japan if she improved her machines and operatives so that we could not compete with her. It was time we looked for tho beam in our own eye and put our house in order, said Mr. Hooper. Until that was done the resolution met with his approval. Mr. E. S. Leatherby (Plymouth) quoted an instance in Britain of a tariff being placed against Japan and a ring being formed among British manufacturers to put up their price. Tho prices would have gone up had one manufacturer not put his foot down and broken the ring. When a committee wont to a Government and asked for a tariff or an increased tariff they should also see that the Government dealt in no uncertain manner with those likely to form rings and combines to keep up artificial prices. Australian Experience

Mr. Spencer Watts (Sydney) said they had imposed duties in Australia, but it had had no effect, and did not benefit Britain. Japan had to import as well as export. The standard of living in the industrial areas in Japan was not below those of other countries. He saw more poverty, dirt and illnourishment in some British industrial areas than he saw in Japan. Mr. Granville Gibson (Leeds): Nonsense. That is not true. Mr. Watts moved an amendment to omit from the resolution the words "From countries with low standards of living." Mr. F. W. Cook (Dudley) seconded. He said he thought they were on tho wrong lines. Britain turned out the world's best goods, but in cheap goods Japan was supreme. He recalled Germany as the former producer of cheap goods, not Britain. It was a question of organisation and pulling together. British manufacturers were fighting each other, and so also were the workers.

A Eesolution Approved

Mr. W. B. Darker (Adelaide) moved further to marry the resolution with another resolution to read as follows: "That this congress views with grave concern the increasing importation into the British Empire of low-priced 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 com petition." This met with general approval and the congress passed on to the next business.