RAW COTTON STANDARDS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 June 1923, Page 5

RAW COTTON STANDARDS.

ARBITRARY AMERICAN LAW. MODIFICATION NEEDED. By Telegraph.—Proas Assn.—Copyright. Received June 12, 10.15 p.m. . London, June 12. The Lancashire cotton industry is much concerned about the new American law, operating from August 1, compelling American citizens to use American standard groupings of raw cotton. In cases of dispute, foreign buyers must abide by American decisions. Hitherto America had one standard of grading and Liverpool another, but in practice no confusion arose, because American traders adopted standards nearly like Liverpool’s. The new Act forbids such modifications. Moreover, it I puts buyers to the expense of going to the United States to argue the point, whereas, hitherto, disputes have 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 is the most important cotton centre in the world, she has never attempted to interfere with the natural sources of commerce nor to impose her domestic legislation on other nations. Discussion of this matter is only beginning, but it already affords another proof of the necessity for making the Empire self-supporting.