BRITAIN & JAPAN

Hokitika Guardian, 23 August 1933, Page 5

BRITAIN & JAPAN

TRADE RIVALRY

QUESTION OF MARKETS.

[United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright) i

BANFF, August 21. The relationship of the varying

wages paid in different countries, to

protection through tariffs, was discussed by the Pacific Relations Institute to-day. Serious doubts that concrete resuhs could he obtained in the efforts to resolve th© rising conflict between Britain and Japan in world markets wore expressed. It was suggested that Japan is now in the same position as Britain held at the close of the nineteenth entury, when France was the leading industrial Britain’s free trade policy w»s represented as the agency of Britain’s- advance. It was pointed out that the adoption of the policy to closing markets to . Japan in tlie s e areas," where Britain had power to do- so would result in increased competition from Japan in other markets, such as Soiuh America, and would mean only a re-allocation of trading areas, with lo? e to Britain eventually. It was stated that each had bargaining counters, which might be used in the negotiations if these were initiated, The conception of , closed self-sufficient regional blobs was attacked.

Armed conflict was pictured as', t unavoidable; unless in such development such countries as Japan were afforded opportunities to find outlets. It was contended that the Ottawa agreements did not create such a- bloc. They were not disadvantageous to Japan, eo far as the sources of raw material were concerned, and the idea of preference to Britain was not new.

Japanese members intimated that japan had .been greatly concerned about the Ottawa, agreements, not on account of their future- effect, bub for what they implied might happen; to the trade by Japan by ;a ; British tariff against Japanese goods.- The Canadian tariff oif 60 per cent, and the : Indian tariff of 75 pe r cent, against Japan were cited as examples.

Tire paradox .was 'discovered o.f .Japanese and American subsidies Jo shipping, for the reason .of: national defence, although - both had signed - the Kellogg Pact. The" opinion was j expressed that the world • was far from ready for any ' general conference at which all nations wduld be willing to declare for a tariff truce ar.d a new deal, although it was stated that the pro,sent situation of piling tariff against tariff was a menace to civilisation itself. ' !

WOOLLEN TEXTILE INDUSTRY

.TAP. .DEVELOPMENT IN N. ASIA

BANFF (Alberta), August 91

Japan’s development in northern Asia of the woollen textile industry was commended' on Monday by Englishmen at the conference of the Institute of Pacific Relations. It was ■pointed out that new, markets for ■Australian and other wools were thus being; provided, and, what is more significant, the use of woollen clothing throughout Northern Asia I s gradually being extended. All of this, it is stated, is a development that no one should regret.

FOREIGN SHIPPING PRIVILEGES

BANFF (Alberta), August 51

It W'S intimated that Japan, which, with other 'Countries. denie s privileges of coastwise trade- to foreign iship>3, would modify her regulations .if the other nations will do the same.-coL'

The Japanese contended that it wa s unfair to infer that Japan’s subsidies to .shipping gave her an undue adv'ntage over competitors in a world which denied the privileges of coastwise trade. It was argued that it is difficult for Japan to compete.