CANADIAN CONDITIONS
PROFITEERING ANT) SCARCITY OF LABOUR.' Mr. H. D. Ross, Canadian Government Trade Commissioner,to Australia, has returned to Sydney after a vovago to Canada'to attend fl conference ot all Canadian Trade Commissioners. They were .brought together ,to study the industries of Canada, and thus secure a proper knowledge of Canada's productive power, so that the fight for post-war trade could be effectively waged. While in Canada with' tho conference, Mr. Ross visited practically every manufacturing centro in the Dominion, from Victoria, 8.C., to Sydney, Nova Scotia, and addressed a number of chambers of commerce and : - manufacturing associations in regard' to the trading position in Australia.
"Many industries in the Dominion," said the "are, to a considerable extent, handicapped by lack of labour. In common with other countries,' wages have advanced, and manufacturing costs are not likely to return to the pre-war standard for a long time to come, if at all." Since his previous tour of the Dominion, Mr. Boss found a wonderful expansion in industrial plants, many of which were actively engaged in executing orders from the United Kingdom and tho Continent. •In some instances tho Canadian Government had established credits for European' countries under which manufacturers were able, during the teriod of transition from conditions immediately following the armistice, to keep their plants fully occupied in executing orders from Rumania, Serbia, etc. . It was generally conceded, explained Mr. Ross, thai such 'orders were not likely to become permanent, and naturally tho Canadian. manufacturers were more desirous of cultivating trade within tho Empire, and' to this their energies in the future would bo more particularly devoted. And in this regard Mr.' Boss emphasised tho way interest in Australian trado had been aroused, and he anticipated an increase in this direction in the coming years. A question .elicited that Canada was not immune from industrial unrest. Mr. Boss said - there had been considerable •unrest in tho Dominion, but mutters had quietened down to a large extent prior to his departure for Australia. The Winnipeg strike was tho biggest upheaval, and that was duo to I.W.W. propaganda. When 'llr. Boss left Canada tho principal men involved in the strike were awaiting trial. "Strikes," he ' emphasised, ' aro not general in the Dominion; and the demand for labour is, of such a character that good operatives can readily secure employment at highly roniunorativo rates." ■■' Tho inevitable question: Is there profiteering in Canada? was asked. Mr. Ross replied in the affirmative., He said the Canadian Government appointed a commission in September last to take evidence throughout the Dominion on tho subject of profiteering. Remarkable disclosures were made as to tho profits obtained by retailers over actual costs. In, a number of instances profits of fully 100 per fent. in drapery, boots, and shoes were proved. The outcome of these investigations wiu that numbers of retailors 'intimated that the profit on clothing and boots sold bytliom would not exceed 33.1-3 per cent. Some newspapers considered that this announceni'ent was caused bv fear that, the Government would proclaim a "legal profit' somewhat less than the retailers Jiad agreed upon.
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Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 87, 7 January 1920, Page 7
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514CANADIAN CONDITIONS Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 87, 7 January 1920, Page 7
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