DUMPING CHARGE

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 149, 27 June 1933, Page 6

DUMPING CHARGE

JAPANESE COMPETITION

AUSTRALIA'S POLICY

(From "The Post's" Representative.) - SYDNEY, June 22. It is clear that the Federal Government is not going to be stampeded into action following somewhat vague, but insistent, charges that, Japanese goods are being dumped on to the Australian market to the detriment of British and local industries. At the same timo it is not taking any risks, and a special investigation of the position is now being mado into the allegations. On Saturday the- Prime Minister (Mr. Lyons) visited Ipswich, in Queensland, the centre of a large woollen industry, and at a public meeting ho was questioned several times about the "menace of Japanese dumping." This gave him the opportunity of making his first public statement on the question. Mr. Lyons said that there was ample power under' the Industry Preservation Act to protect Australia against dumping by any nation should the need arise. It had to be remembered that Australia had no discriminatory tariff against. Japan or any other country. Those who were bo eager to direct attention to Japanese trade were either ignorant of, or purposely ignored, tho fact that Japan was one of Australia's best customers. The people should remember that. When they talked of maintaining living standards in Ausk tralia they should temombcr that if Japan and some of Australia's other customers were not buying, such a big portion of the wool clip tho standard of living of tho Australian wool grower would be very much lower than it was today. They had to examine the question from tho standpoint of' international trade. Australian industries, if they were to be maintained, had no right to be compelled to compete with industries indulging in dumping. Therefore, whatever the country concerned, the Government would investigate the position and act accordingly. ; 1 The Minister of ■ Customs ' (Mr. White) said that the people should not be led astray by unofficial reports. The Government was being kept informed from London of the real position1 as far as Japanese trade wjls concerned. Much depended npon what emerged from the ■'discussions at tho Economic Conference, where the Japanese delegate had indicated / that his .country favoured a better economic understanding between the nations. Australian duties were all levied against goods and not against countries. In the administration of the1 tariff he had been at pains to ensuro that no credence was placed upon general statements of wholesale dumping of Japanese goods on tie Australian market. Ho had asked that any manufacturers or others who had special knowledgo of dumping should communicate with him and furnish detailed evidence' in support of their claims. i