The announcement that a group of Austrian business men visited London to dispose of some £40,000 worth of fancy goods against raw materials created a considerable feeling of surprise in British trade circles, and caused not a little comment. This was an entirely private venture, taken, presuniably, with the object of circumventing the exchange difficulty im Austria, and securing for the goods payment in English currency. It was intimated that, if successful, the proceeds of the undertaking would be devoted to purchasing. raw materials for the service of Austrian industries, the list of articles of Austrian production which are to be offered for sale there are specified manufactures of certain classes of industry which have been in process of rehabilitation in Great Britain during the period of the war, None of them can, it is true, be regarded as key industries, but furniture, fancy "goods, picture frames—to mention only a. selection—are spheres of activity to which the British manufacturer hag of late paid much more ettention than he did in pre-war times. In the Birmingham area, for example, the fancy goods section of trade has been very materially developed along lines of commodities formerly monopolized largely by Germany and Austria.
No Prorecrion Against Dumpix.
The opinion has been expressed that in this Austrian consignment of manufactured goods there is no question of competition with home products; that the project is one not likely to be repeated. Furtaer, that for a long time to come there is little likelihood of commercial rivalry on the part of Austria—or Germany. This may, or may not, be the case; reports vary on the point. 'A week or two ago a representative of British colour users visited Germany to purchas what dyes he thought would be useful to industries here.
At the same time says the "Moming Post," the Austrian incident reveals our trade position in all its weakness. As the law stands, manufactured goods from foreign lands are admitted into England free of all restrictions—not even key industries are safeguarded. The commercial invasion from Austria is a reminder that it is high time the matter were seriously taken in hand and British Sscal policy readjusted.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.