PROMOTION OF TRADE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29468, 21 March 1961, Page 17

PROMOTION OF TRADE

Australia May Lease Building

Information which might lead to the Australian Department of Trade leasing a building for exhibition of goods as a trade promotion effort was obtained in Christchurch yesterday by Mr. John N. McFarlane, exhibition officer of the department. For the last three years, the Australian Government has leased a pavilion with an area of 11,000 square feet at the Easter Show grounds at Auckland for displays. The building was erected by the Auckland Manufacturers’ Association and Easter Show association.

The new exhibition building, Canterbury Court, at Addington Show Grounds, was inspected yesterday by Mr McFarlane in company with Mr R. T. Alston, secretary of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association. It was Mr McFarlane’s first visit to the South Island, the main purpose being to meet the Australian Trade Commissioner here, Mr D. W. Walker.

Mr McFarlane said he was amazed at the number of Australians who had visited New Zealand. Although many New Zealanders had become residents of Australia, he felt that the traffic would be a big “two-way” one in the future.

The potentialities of tourism in New Zealand were great, said Mr McFarlane. All that was needed was more liberal liquor laws to allow night entertainment and bathrooms with bedrooms in hotels, specially for American tourists.