New Japanese

Thrust

Ships May Call at Tonga and Fiji

NEGOTIATIONS are near finality for the linking up of Tonga and Fiji with Japan by a new shipping service (says “New Zealand Herald” of July 14).

The company concerned is Japanese, with extensive services in various parts of the world. It is expected that the ser vice will be inaugurated at an early date.

An announcement to this effect was made

yesterday by Mr. Y. Banno. of Auckland, upon his return by the “Matua” after spending two months in Apia, Nukualofa and Suva. Mr Banno recently opened a new branch for his firm of importers and exporters at Suva.

The negotiations are being conducted by Mr. Banno. who hopes that the shipping company, which already trades with New Zealand, will incorporate the Islands in the ports of call of its ships. The proposal is that the ships, after calling at New Zealand ports, should proceed to Japan via Tonga and Suva. ... , , General cargo will be brought from Japan for the Islands. Cargo for Japan will consist of timber and trochus shell, A considerable amount of cargo from Japan is at present transhipped at Auck-

land and forwarded to the Islands in other vessels.

EDITORIAL NOTE.—Ordinarily, people in the South Seas territories would wel come an announcement like this. Com petition is good for trade and assists national development. But it would be outrageous if the New Zealand-Fiji- Tongan authorities permit. this kind of commercial invasion, under existing in ternational conditions.

These same Japanese, with insolence and arrogance, and by infamous methods, are trying to drive British trade out of China in particular, and out of thq Orient generally. They know, and we know, that

Britain, because she is trying to hold the peace in Europe, has her hands tied for the moment, and cannot spare the forces necessary to give the Asiatics the thrash ing they deserve. But, at least, we can use economic force, and we should make them stay at home Tt should 5 rnmo I w ing r r that anri ° Tonga, Fiji thpir *l™ °* r trad ? rs wlth nen n lP iJwh'P f g d l’ . whde anf P +?, re bei 1 ng T msul ted are t s e re -r Ja P an fs e > anyway—the bowing and smiling gentle men now seeking favours in Tonga and Fiji, or the arrogant and offensive bar barians who imagine at the moment that they are the cocks of the walk in the tortured Chinese cities’

There have been references lately to the growth of Japanese commercial opera tions in Tonga. This photo, (by Hettig) shows the Nukua lofa staff of Banno Brothers, a Japanese firm trading in Tonga and Fiji.