JAPAN'S DIFFICULTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 February 1917, Page 8

JAPAN'S DIFFICULTY.

BUYING AFRICAN WOOL. Tlic Japanese woollen mill workers are taxing their brains very hard for the solution of the wool supply question now that Great Britain lias'completed lier purchase of the crops in Australia ami New Zealand (states the Ja.nan Times). In the hope that Great Britain may show another proof of her friendliness towards her Allv. in the East they have requested the Government to ap"proach Great Britain with a request to part with a portion of the crops requisitioned by her, though according to a report of the Japanese CoiHiil-G'cnoral Vt Sydney the British woollen mill workers have influenced their Government to take this stringent measure. Some of them in the. meanwhile are trying to solve the problem Ivy purchasing the crops in South Africa* Already some importers in Osaka have sot into communication with African sellers, and samples are in their hands. If 'they can agree, as to prices and other conditions, African wool may be' imported with ease now that Japanese liners on the European route call at Capetown. The only trouble, is, according to a report to hand, that American, Italian and Fiehch buyers have already commenced, their purchases thoro and caused the sellers to qo chary of selling. In those circumstances prices at present are strikingly high there. Apparently negotiations have coino to r deadlock between Japanese buyers and African ■sellers principially b« that 'score'