LANCASHIRE AND AUSTRALIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22398, 20 October 1934, Page 3

LANCASHIRE AND AUSTRALIA

SUGGESTED BOYCOTT WATCHING NEW ZEALAND INTERESTS DAIRY BOARD’S ACTION. It is to be sincerely hoped that the trouble between Lancashire and Australia regarding the tariffs on certain cotton goods will be amicably arranged. Nothing could be so dangerous to inter-im-perial trade generally as the bitterness aroused and the threats of retal.ation and boycott. The matter is one between the Governments of the two countries concerned, and has a far wider bearing than concerns one industry. Several of the Lancashire towns, however, were so hardly hit by the new Australian tariffs that it is not surprising that their trade organisations decided to take drastic measures of retaliation, nor instance; “ We stock no Australian goods ” was a poster to be seen in a number of grocers’ windows in Bolton. Notices were printed appealing to the public of the textile towns and to textile workers not to buy Australian goods while the duties were in force. , It was felt that Australia's concession in holding up tTie duties until November 15 was of no use, and that a boycott was the only medium which would bring Australia to see the seriousness of the question. The cotton trade, it was maintained, had no other remedy against the new duties. With this matter New Zealand, of course, has no direct concern, but it was immediately seen by Mr H. E. Davis (London manager of the New Zealand Dairy Board) that the ignorance of the public would lead to damage to New Zealand trade. Though representatives of the cotton manufacturers are well aware of the distinction between New Zealand and Australia the general buying public, composed largely of mill operatives, are not so clear of the distinction. Indeed, Mr Davis records that one of his canvassers found that the Mayor of a certain town was labouring under the delusion' that the Australian tariff restrictions applied also to New Zealand, and the Mayor in question was grateful to have been told that this was not the case.

Bearing in mind all the good work that has been done in Lancashire and Yorkshire to promote the sale of New Zealand butter and cheese, Mr Davis came to the conclusion that he could not afford to let the matter rest. It was not his desire to enter into the dispute, nor to take advantage of Australia’s disfavour, but he recognised that New Zealand interests would suffer along with Australian. He therefore sent his canvassers into Lancashire to call on retailers and provision trade representatives to explain that New Zealand had recently reduced her tariffs, and was not in any way concerned with Australian politics or tariffs. He also wrote to his Australian friends in London, explaining that, though he did not wish to take advantage of their trouble, he could not risk the danger of being dragged into the suggested boycott owing to the ignorance of the public. That his decision was a wise and necessary one has been amply borne out by the experiences of the canvassers. Confusion as to the political and geographical relations between Australia and New Zealand is to he found on all sides in the north, and this campaign of instruction was decidedly necessary. Even though the grocers' organisations may decide to call off the suggested boycott there is little doubt that the buying public will have been greatly influenced by the discussions and proposals against Australia. It was, therefore, the duty of the New Zealand Dairy Produce_ Board to do their utmost to prevent this feeling of resentment against Australia from being extended to New Zealand with resulting damage to Dominion trade. M.P.'S MANIFESTO. It was especially pleasing to the representatives of the New Zealand Dairy Board that three Lancashire members of Parliament took the unsual course of issuing a manifesto in favour of New Zealand. These members were; Mr R. C. Essenhigh, the member for Newton; Mr J. P, Morris, of Bolton, who sits for North Salford; and Mr R. A. Spencer, the representative of St. Helens. The manifesto contains a tribute to the industrial goodwill displayed by New Zealand. The writers show how the people of the Dominion have bought more British goods, and insisted on having exports and Imports carried in British ships.