TRADE INVASION MENACE

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXX, Issue 8496, 1 August 1933, Page 3

TRADE INVASION MENACE

JAPAN FLOODING EMPIRE MARKETS BRITAIN TAKES ACTION LONDON, May 18. Travellers and others are beginning to warn the public of Britain of the Japanese trade invasion in all parts of the Empire. A business man whose firm is represented in the Dominions (Mr William LyallWillis), writing to “The Times,” says:— “I am now on my twelfth world journey, and wherever I go—Canada, New Zealand,, Australia, etc., —1 find that the Japanese are steadily absorbing our markets. Their qualities are greatly improved, and their prices from a half to a third those of their competitors.” The matter was referred to in the House of Commons when Dr. Burgin (Parliamentary Secretary, Board of Trade) moved aprpoval of four Orders imposing new duties under the Import Duties Act, 1932. These, related to rubber footwear, peat, linseed oil, buttons, potatoes, pottery and clay products, fabric gloves baskets, and other articles. • Witht regard to rubber footwear, he said the duty arose almost entirely because of the extraordinary importations from Japan. There had been a perfect flood of importations at extremely low prices, and the country had been literally glutted. Sixty-eight per cent, of the whole of the imports come from Japan. Importations had grown at such a tremendous rate that the multiplication table was quite unable to keep pace with the alterations in the, figures. The United Kingdom output of rubber footwear was very considerable.

It was proposed to increase the duty on three classes of pottery, glazed wall and glazed hearth tiles, sanitary ware, and articles classed ns used for domestic purposes. These goods came mostly from Germany and Holland, but there had been a perfect flood from Japan, tho figures being literally astounding. That was on<* of the great facts that had caused the committee to make the recommendation.

With regard to fabric gloves, it was proposed that the duty should bo raised from 20 to 30 per cent.