BRITAIN & JAPAN

Hokitika Guardian, 19 August 1933, Page 5

BRITAIN & JAPAN

TRADE COMPETITION

'CHEAP LABOUR IN INDUSTRY.

United Prses Association —By Electric Telegraph—Co py r i gh t. .)

BANFF (Alberta),. August 17

Dealing wi-h complaints made by British imembe’s that low wages paid to textile workers in Japan amounted to illegitimate competition with LancialshiTe isjpinnere, Doctor Komshichi Takalxassi, director of the Takahassi Economic Research Institute at Tokio, declared; at the Round Table- Conference of the Institute of Pacific Relations to-day, that desperate measures would ibe forced upon Japan, as a imeans of finding a way out of the dilemma, if high tariffs were imposed against Japanese goods because of the cheap labour. , He said chat he did not take seriously the complaint that Japan had ■been dumping he,-’ products on foreign markets by virtue of the abnormal 'drop in the yen -exchange, describing this factor in the situation aa merely temporary,

He declared, during the argument respecting cheap. labour, 'that unices' the eituation clarified, the nations of the world would raise their tariffs against Japan oven higher than at present, Unless they did so, he continued, 'they ■ would have to lower wages and standards of living so as to compete -with Japan. •‘lf western nations raise tariff barriers,. on the ground that Japanese products are cheap because of cheap labour, the situation will be aggravated, -and the labour cost in Japan must, become eve,n cheaper. The only solution to the problem i« a settlement on the basis of fair. play. If the capitalists of Japan harbour a mistaken notion Of competing with foreign countries through cheap labour, we must first get at the capitalists. At the same time, there is need for British and the United States interests to' study the question -more thoroughly; and not'act on-surface indications only.” “The discussion indicated that Bri tain .and United States are the countries keenly concerned over the- Japanese industrial production and the Hying standards of the Japanese worker.

AUSTRALIA’S TRADE WITH JAPAN,

EXCLUSION or toys sought

CANBERRA, August 18

Ah* incterse of fifty per cent, an the value of Australia’s importations from japan Is shown by .a comparison, of the figui'ds for the financial year juSt ended with those for the year 1931-35.

The balances between tho Commonwealth and I."<pci», however,/ is still five million s . pounds in Australia’s favour. • Most of the goods imported from Japan are competitive with British importations. Manufacturers me apprehensive regarding their Christmas toy trade as they realise they would hare mo chance in competing with Japanese toys at the landed prices. The president of the Chamber of Manufacturers, Mr H. Gordon Bennett, stated that if the Japanese were successful in a. proposed drive to flood Australia with toys, Australian workmen in the toy industry would have -a ver y lean Christmas.

The Ministe- of Trade and Customs. Mr White, stated -at Canberra,' that the ; C om.m on wealth Government was keeping a close watch on a threatened flood of Japanese toys, and said that if there were any evidence to establish a. prime. facie case of dumping o" of any threatened dumping, it would be dealt with quickly.

JAPAN PROPOSES REPRISALS TOKYO, August 18. In consequence of the British Empire’s anti-Japanese trading movements Japanese industaialists are conferring with tho Government, requesting shipping subsidies for the facilitating of the importation of South American wool replacing Australian.