TRADE CONDITIONS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 61, 6 December 1920, Page 4

TRADE CONDITIONS

v IMPRESSIONS OF MANY COUNTRIES *

A BUSINESS MAN'S COMMENTS

After visiting Australia. Java, Singapore, China, Japan, the United Stales, and Canada, Kngland, Belgium, and' Prance, Sir. St. S. H. Manning, of Christchurch, considers that the general position is unsettled, and that prices aro inclined to weaken, in mbst eases on account nf lack of accommodation and other financial conditions. In nil the countries ho visited, high costs had reduced consumption. So far from the cost of labour decreasing, tho demands for more wages were incessant. When he wn* in tho United States, several factories had closed down absolutely beeauso they could not manufacture'at a profit. He was told that on top of the high wnses camo the fact that workers were working up to oiily two-thirds of their capacity. After a term of unemployment, some omplovces asked to be reinstated. Factories that had work rfn hand usually agreed to open, again, provided that lower wages were accepted. In some cases cmployorn demanded a guarantee that; more work should bo done per man per day, and that the guarantee should he backed by something mora substantial than writing; in other words, that there should be financial backing "behind tho unions. In England, workers did not seem to I* inclined to accept less than they were receiving, and there were sagns of the cost of living coming down. Many factories, had closed when Mr. Manning wasithors: others wore on short time. 'If trade with flussia. is resumed," he said, when discussing the position, 'an immediate change will be brought nbout in the conditions i;i England.' The present positioji will bo cased very sobn, ulso, if sahsiao tcrv moans are found for-hnwicing huroptan countries-Germany, France, anrt Austria-on long terms of credit. I do n\t expect things to \» very much Reaper in the immediate future, "™I>V ?™ prices brought about by loca condition . kit nossiblY in twelve months «' ill Z a P dlS.ce. .1 Jo.not think thnttto reductions in prices in the near future wi lw so great that the public *ill bo ale to apprecia-b them to any extent The world' retail trade,-m f.ir as I can le ?n is good; consumption, continues at the same rate as during the war. Condition! seem to be hotter in Canada than nfteUnited States, The fact that, exla go from the United States s uga.ns the Canadians has considerably helped local industries in Canada.