“WE DELIVER THE GOODS”

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21190, 13 August 1940, Page 4

“WE DELIVER THE GOODS”

An order for 22,000,000 yards of cotton goods valued at £600,000 placed by Java with the trade at Manchester is indicative of the trend of events in the East Indies. The teeming millions of Netherlands and other territories in the East Indies provide a market of great value to the manufacturing countries, and the fact that Britain is able to obtain and fulfil such orders in the face of the fiercest economic competition and political pressure is a matter for congratulation. Ordinarily, Japan would have had a greater share of the East Indies trade, and she must realise that the diversion of large orders to Britain is at least to some extent due to Japanese threats.

Participation in the “axis” arrangement is proving to be a doubleedged sword to Japan. She could scarcely expect the nationals of one of Germany's victims to seek or to continue trade with Germany’s partner. Japan probably considered the East Indies trade was there for the taking—if she placed any reliance upon Germany’s boast that German aeroplanes and submarines had rendered Britain incapable of continuing her overseas trade. Nevertheless British manufacturers are as active as ever in consolidating and expanding trade, and Japan will be caused to think when Britain delivers 22,000,000 yards of cloth to Java with the label, “We deliver the goods.”

In view of the British Empire’s large purchases of oil and other commodities it is of first rate importance that reciprocal trade should be developed as much as possible with the East Indies. Although the islands themselves are abundantly productive, Java alone has a population almost equal to that of Britain and it should be possible to extend mutual trade, especially as Holland itself is now in enemy hands. What Holland supplied must now be obtained elsewhere, and there should be additional trade resulting from the natural revulsion of feeling against Japan, which formerly shipped large quantities of goods to Java and other East Indian countries.