JAPANESE TRADE.

Taihape Daily Times, 19 August 1919, Page 6

JAPANESE TRADE.

CHRITQI-lURCH MAN ’S IMPRESI .- SIONS. ' ijsqmlepjdea of the manner in which Japanese trade has benefited by the ‘war: was given to a Christchurch Press representative by Mr D. Manson, inspector of the Kaiapoi Woollen Co., who has just returned from a year’s business trip to Japan, England, and the United States. Mr Manson, who was in Japan in March, 1916, arrived there again in September, 1918 and he stated that the thing that first struck him }.lp”n landing at Kobe was the umberof big commercial ‘buildings, on European and American lines, that ad. been erected since his previous visit, and the doing away with all .h-eap Japanese building methods. The same. thing was found at Osaka, where 1 e was‘ greatly surprised to see that, 1 in less than three years, several great ‘otton mills‘ and manufacturing plants ad been set up_ \ The manner in which the cotton inustry in partiéular had developed in bat short time was really wonderful.n both these towns, great buildings] ad sprung up, built on American’: ' es, and many of them would rival‘

be best of their kind in the United tates. Going on to Yokohama, the ame advance was noticed-, wliile in okio Mr Manson W‘as=~ama,zed to see he manner in Which- progress had een made in the Wollen industry. ‘WO large mills had been erected since is previous visit, with all- the latelst achinery. The Japanese had suceededrin obtaining machinery which ould not be got out here, Having re,eived most of it from America. (The

xplanation was that there had been 6 restrictions bu the export of malzinery .from the United ‘States to apan in‘ the earlier stages of the war, ough‘l'a.tterTy there had been. The Japanese, said Mr Manson, had ade enormous strides in commerce, ml the question was Whether they ould keep up their trade. They ould no doubt do so if they looked fter it’ properly and kept things on good business footing—-that was to y, if» they delivered’ -goods according ‘sample. Their great failing was aclhey did not do so_ In. Yokohama e had addressed a. meeting of the hamber of Commerce, and had im'essed -upon the merchants the necesty for seeing that all their goods ere< up to sample, and, in fact, a overnment commission had been set p to investigate the various mills and

ctories, examining all thegoods sent t, and‘ it was hoped by all that the sult would be beneficial.. The one eat failing with the Japanese was eir Well-known custom of delivering ds inferior to those ordered, and few examples of silk hose, etc., hich The Press} representative was own; entirely substantiated that atement, which has long been made y importers and others interested in panese -trade. - The Japanese, Mr anson added, were the greatest woners in the world at copying, but‘in 'ginal idea, they were lacking. Hower, before the war they had been ttle more than a bankrupt nation, hile now money was being poured at ‘em, but if they did not produce the ame goods as they contracted for," nd' could not convince the world that hey were to be depended upon, then heir ‘prosperity naturally ‘could not vst. .

‘Another thing With which Mr Man on was impressed was the rap2'r;‘lyrowing popularity of European ClOThg. "When he was in Japan three ears ago, the kimono was the zlress f all and sundry, but since then there ad been a. remarkable change, and DW all the ‘merchants e’c., appeared .1 faultlesslyu cut I'I111'OD.=:1n clo‘*.'iing. ery flash they are, too,” commentdMr Manson “They are extraordinrily patricular about the cut of their uits and the immaculate nattiness of heir patent leather boots.” M Asked as to the effect of the war on he military ideas of the Japanese, Mr lanson said that there had been aparently a great imp-3tlls to military raining. In all the schools drill was iven both morning and afternoon, nd the military spirit amongst the h-ilclren was particularly keen. It as the height of eVerybody’s ambiion to” wear a, soldicr’s cap. At Yokhoma, Mr Manson saw the Japanese a‘,l/y, and, as he said, “a very good 1161 strong Navy it was’ too.” Anfliel‘ thing that impressed him was he magnitude of the Japanese shipillg Which was to He met with everyhmere in the East———auother sign of 'hPanl's increasing trade and. wealth.