TRADE WITH THE EAST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5462, 14 January 1896, Page 3

TRADE WITH THE EAST.

A .CO^ISapNER'S M [Special to PBEss.'AssoftiA'i'ioN.?]')- ■

'■■ /Mr-Parsbrls, a'Coipmissioner frbfc- South Australia, .who r visrbe-cl East iii; the idt^reat of , the colony's trade, reports that the volume . of: Australian trade ; With the far. East depends upon the /approximation of freights from Australia to those ruling from San Francisco and Vancouver. In the Japan capital there are abundant proposals for new undertakings, and the nation shows a quickness-anddeftnesswhich augur success. Mr Parsons has been appointed to represent the Eastern and Australian. Trading Company, which," wjth.' a capital' of ', ;£200j600, -bras" recently formed in Hong Eong for 'the purpose '.of developing theAustralian trade. ■ 'Any '.trade; with -the'! ' ilast, io say ft "Will only result where quality of goods and taste in packages are com^ bined. One .thing that Australia' can be , sure of- is that she need not fear an influx of Japaneselabotpv as the requirements for home "indnS&ies' 2 ''ai;d ' the Y development of Formosa .absorb all the skilled and 'many, unskilled men. Wages there this year .will be from 10 .'to 20 per cent higher than last year, and will continue to increase. The' only surplus/labour is that of women and girls, and that.is unexportable. Japanese coolies can be pbljaiheii, but the rate of hire is much higher than for Pacific Islanders or Indian coolies; and too high for Bug^ -growing in ; Australia. Mr Parsons adds that ■> they;' can come to Australia now, -but' do not and will not wme in large numbers.