Banno Brothers
p. 19 · Read in the full issue
Depart
Trading Firm is Sold
MANY times, during the past six or seven years, the “PIM” has referred to the appearance, establishment and growth of the Japanese trading firm of Banno Brothers. It appeared in Auckland, it “horned in” on the Tongan trade, and then it spread its operations to Samoa and Fiji.
We did not like it because it was Japanese, and we could see no reason why the distributing trade of the South Pacific should pass out of European hands.
But we disliked it more because all the information available—there was not much, but it was significant—indicated that there was a close tie-up between this firm and official Japan. To put it in blunt words, there was reason to suspect that the activities of Banno Brothers has as much to do with espionage as with commerce.
The business was carried on by Banno and his brother-in-law. They evidently knew what was coming, and got out early. Banno arrived in Sydney about the middle of last year. The editor of the “PIM” learned that he was here, and called upon him, to ask him about Japanese buying of copra. Russia had just entered the war, and the track from Japan to Germany across Siberia was closed.
“Now”, we said to Mr. Banno, “Japan can buy our South Pacific copra, and be under no suspicion that she is sending
it to Germany. This should be a good thing for both the British and the Japanese.”
But Mr. Banno did not want to talk about copra. He was very vague, and he eyed the editor of the “PIM” warily.
In fact, he did not seem to like the editor at all; so the interview ended.
He did not say he was leaving, but his bags must even then have been packed.
Mr. Banno left Sydney a few hours later on a ship bound for Japan.
His brother-in-lay left Auckland for Japan in August.
It was formally announced in New Zealand early this year that all the in terests of Banno Brothers had been bought by a group of New Zealanders, and that the name of the firm has been changed to Wales and Mackinlay, Ltd.
It is emphasised that ‘the business now has no connection whatever with Japan”.