Trade with Japan.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 164, 14 January 1896, Page 2

Trade with Japan.

(Per Press Association.) Port Darwin, This Day. Mr Parsons, commissioner from South Australia, who visited the East in the interest of the colony's trade, reports fche volume of Australian trade with the tar East depends upon the approximation of freights from Australia to those ruling from San Francisco aud Vancouver, ln the Japan capital th^re are abundant proposals for new undertakings and the natives show a quickness and deftness which augurs success. Mr Parsons was appointed to represent the Eastern and Australian Trading Company, which, with a capital of £200,000, was recently formed iv Hong Kong for the purpose of developing the Australian trade. Any trade with the East, be says, will only result where quality of goods and taste in the packages are combined. One thing Australia, can be sure of is that she need not fear the influx of Japanese labor, as the requirements for home industries and the development of Formosa will absorb all the skilled and many of the unskilled men. The only surplus labour is that of women and girls, and that is unexportable. Japanese coolies can be obtained, but the rate of hire is much higher than for Pacific Islanders or Indian Coolies, and too high for sugar growing in Australia. Mr Parsons adds they can come to Austsalia now, but do not and will not come in large numbers.