CO129-554-5 Commission of Enquiry into the Hong Kong trade depression- correspondence and report 27-3-1935 - 11-8-1935 — Page 153

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177

12.

Unfortunately, shortly after hearing this reassuring

statement, the Commission received a letter from a director

of the Rope Company who had just returned from Canada which

rovealed a very different attitude on the part of tho

From this lot tor XXXXX it is

Canadian authorities.

apparent that so far from having abandoned the imposition

of dumping dutics on Hong Kong ropes, the Canadian Govom-

ment has every intention of imposing a dumping duty cqual

to the difference between the solling price of Hong Kong

rope and a fluctuating market value based on the Jobber ́s

price of Manila Rope in England, as ascertained in Canada

from time to time. Moreover, it has been frankly stated

that the Customs authoritics are prepared to place every

possible obstacle in the way of importation of Hong Kong

rope; and in fact there seems to be no doubt that, in

spite of Hong Kong's inclusion in the Intermediate

Tariff

in 1933, the position is in no way different from what it

was in 1930.

13%

The situation is full of difficulties

unsatisfactory in the extreme.

and is

While we would never for

a moment question the propiety of any direct action taken by

the Canadian Government to safeguard their own industries

from competition based on native labour, yet at the same

time it appears to us that, when the competitor concerned

is also a member of the British Empire, it would be profer-

able if such action were to take the form of an open

declaration of inability to accord any preference or even of

an absolute refusal to admit their products.

140 We consider that such definite rofusal would at any

ratc clarify the situation and would prevent our manufact-

urors from wasting time in fruitless offorts to secure an

ontry to a market which it is not intended to open to their

With this end in view we recommend that the Government

wares.