"TERRIBLE BUSINESS"

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 164, 14 July 1933, Page 6

"TERRIBLE BUSINESS"

JAPANESE COMPETITION j HARD PROBLEM TO SOLVE. j i COMMISION HEARS EVIDENCE, j d [ Per Press Association. I ’ WELLINGTON, July 13. 1 “It is a terrible business, this Japanese competition,” said Mr. D. F. [ Moncur, New Zealand manager of the e Canada Tire and Rubber Co., giving 2 evidence before the Tariff Commission to-day. Mention was made of the q operations of Japanese factories in the f British Malays, and in cross-oxamina-j tion witness admitted that be appre3 eiated the difficulty of imposing a pro- , hibitive tariff to meet the position. Mr. Moncur urged that British rubf ber goods be retained on the free list, t but that increased ad valorem duties c or specific duties, whichever was the s greater, be imposed on foreign articles, t He stressed the serious menace of Jap--1 anesc competition and said that on ac--3 count of the low standard of living 1 in that country, combined with other ' factors, the British manufacturer was 3 placed in an extremely disadvantageous • position. T Professor Murphy: Is there anything J to prevent Japanese capital transferring to our Eastern possessions and operating there? Witness said he realised that the j problem was a difficult one. Mr. Gow: It looks as if it is a matter . for negotiation between the Governments concerned. I Professor Murphy: Assuming we put. a duty against Japan that would act as an effective protection, would that J not greatly strengthen the transfer of Japanese-owned industry into those British possessions? When they got there they might still bo a British industry technicaly, but in fact an extension of Japanese capitalism. Witness: That is quite true. Professor Murphy: That is the problem, and it is a thing that will exer- ; cise the minds of this Commission not ia little.