COTTON INDUSTRY

Southland Times, Issue 18965, 13 June 1923, Page 5

COTTON INDUSTRY

AMERICA S ACTION CAUSES CONCERN (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright). (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, June 11. (Received June 12, 9.30 p.m ) The Lancashire cotton industry is much concerned about the new American law operating from August 1 compelling American citizens to use American standard grouping of raw cotton. In cases of dispute, foreign buyers must abide by the American decisions. Hitherto America had one standard of grading and Liverpool another, but in practice no confusion arose because the American traders adopted standards so nearly like Liverpool. The new Act forbids such modifications; moreover it puts buyers to the expense of going to the United States to argue the point, whereas, hitherto disputes had been settled by arbitration at Liverpool. Havre and elsewhere. A strong campaign is in progress to secure a modification.

The Morning Post, commenting on the subject editorially, says that although England was the most important cotton centre in the world, she had never attempted to in erfere with the natural source of commerce, nor impose her domestic legislation on other nations. “The discussion of this m tier is only beginning, but it already affords another proof of the necessity of XEukrng the Empire self -supporting/'