JAPANESE PRODUCTS

Evening Star, Issue 22463, 7 October 1936, Page 10

JAPANESE PRODUCTS

MENACE TO BRITISH INDUSTRY COMMERCE CONGRESS DISCUSSIONS OVERTURES TO IMPERIAL CONFERENCE [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 7. At yesterday’s sitting of the Empire Congress of Chambers of Commerce Mr C. Granville-Gibson moved a remit viewing with grave concern the increasing importation into the Empire of low-priced goods from countries with low standards of living, and urging His Majesty’s Governments to lay before the next Imperial Conference the seriousness of such competition. The discussion on this remit was resumed this morning. Mr Percy Ainley (Huddersfield) strongly supported the resolution. He explained how Japan had established factories with British machinery, which was supervised for a short period with British expert teaching. She never required spare parts for her machinery, at first filling the necessary requirements from blacksmiths’ shops and now with modem engineering factories. She bought old machinery and made it modern, and now was a real menace. Mr Ross (Auckland) pointed out that Japan was a great nation of 60,000,000 people, and her population was increasing rapidly. She had to expand. If they tried to prevent her expansion, it must be remembered she had. a firstclass navy, a great army, and was very powerful in the air. He took the view that Japan’s cheap goods had increased the standard of living of British purchasers. He asked—Was the resolution not just another turn of the screw of economic nationalism? The world would never be prosperous again till international trade was resumed at something like its old volume, and he asked the congress to he consistent and vote the resolution: out.

Mr Hooper (Brisbane) said Australia had taken the right step in loading cheap Japanese goods with a tariff that was really prohibitive. Britain should take a leaf out of Australia’s hook. He impressed on the delegates that by specific industries, skill, and high standard of work the Japanese workers had reached a higher standard than Australia or Europe. We could not blame Japan if she improved her machines and operatives so that we could not compete with her. It was time we looked for the beam in our own eye and put our house in order. He said until that was done the resolution met with his approval. Mr Leatherby (Plymouth) quoted an instance in Britain of a tariff being placed against Japan and a ring being formed among British manufacturers to put up their prices. Prices would have gone up had one manufacturer not put his foot down and broken the ring. When a committee went to the Government and asked for a tariff or increased tariff it would also see that the Government dealt in no uncertain manner with those likely to form rings and combines to keep up artificial prices. Mr _ Spencer Watts (Sydney) said they imposed duties in Australia, but it had no effect, and did not benefit Britain. _ He pointed out that, as Mr Ross said yesterday, things adjusted themselves. Japan had to import as well as to export. He said the standard of living in the industrial areas in Japan was not below those of other countries. He saw more poverty, dirt, and ill-nourishment in some British industrial areas than he saw in Japan.

Mr Granville-Gihson: Nonsense. That is not true. Mr Watts moved an amendment to omit from the resolution the words “ that countries with low standards of living.” Mr Cook (Dudley) seconded the amendment. He said he thought they were on wrong lines. Britain turned out the world’s best goods. In cheap goods Japan was supreme. He recalled that Germany was a former producer of cheap goods, not Britain. It was a question or organisation and pulling together. British manufacturers were fighting each other, so also were the workers.

Mr W. B. Darker (Adelaide) moved to carry the resolution with the following one to read as follows:

“ That this congress views with grave concern the increasing importation into the British Empire of low-priced goods, and, being aware that the conditions of labour and wages in some foreign countries do not give fair competitive opportunity to Empire producers, urges His Majesty’s Governments to lay before the next Imperial Conference the seriousness of such competition.”

This met with general approval, and congress passed to the next business.