Great Britain’s Silk Trade Hit By Japanese Sales

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 37, 14 February 1939, Page 5

Great Britain’s Silk Trade Hit By Japanese Sales

MACCLESFIELD This famous centre of the British silk industry has passed from prosperity to depression during recent years, with the result that overtures are to be made to the Government in an endeavour to chock the rising tide of unemployment in the town’s staple industry. Japaneses competition has made serious inroads into the Macclesfield silk trade, so much so that imports of one line of Japaneses fabrics have risen from 100,900 square yards to 5,000,000 square yards in five years. To-day manufacturers here complain that at the price they have to pay for the raw material it is possible to buy Japanescs-manufacturcd silk fabric, completely finished. The problem has reached such proportions that Councilor Harold Hulme, Mayor of Macclesfield, recently convened a town's meeting, representative of almost every section of the community, Io discuss ways and .means of restoring 'Macclesfield tn its former state of prosperity Dissatisfaction was expressed at the lack of support accorded the trade by the. Import Duties Advisory Committee, and it was decided to form a sub-com-mittee of employers, workers, and independent representatives to make representations to the Government. Mr J. R. Remer, M.P. for Macclesfield, pointed out that the question of Japanese competition was not one of duties but of quotas or prohibition. He was surprised at some of the decisions of the committee, and instanced the West African market, which was important for cotton and silk. The committee put on a quota for cotton, which was nearly a prohibition of Japanese goods, but nothing was done for silk. That was one of the first matters on which the Silk Parliamentary Committee, of which he was chairman, would make representations to Parliament in the Autumn session. Recommendations to the Government by the Import Duties Advisory Committee had not been carried out, and he felt that here should be some action to improve the trade. “I am not at all satisfied with the position,” he added. “I. do not think anything can be really done satisfactory to deal with the Japaneses question except absolute prohibition or quota of imports.” There was a difficulty in that Japan bought from Britain as much as Britain bought from Japan, while the fact that Japan was Australia’s second-best customer, also influenced the position.

Modesty The gardeners were talking about the wonders they had grown from time to time. All were doing their share except one. At last, however, someone asked him, “What happened to that rhubarb you had, Jim?” “I sold the sticks to a builder for 'scaffold poles!” he replied, quietly.