N.Z. CARPET EXPORTS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30080, 14 March 1963, Page 11

N.Z. CARPET EXPORTS

Chinese Studies Manufacture

Formerly Hong Kong lived on trade but now it lived on light manufacturing, such as textiles, and trade but the tourist trade was becoming more and more important, said Mr Denis Wing Low, in Christchurch yesterday. Several tourist hotels were being built in Hong Kong and Australians and New Zealanders were the people who were, spending most money there, especially the Australians. “Everybody I’ve met in New Zealand seems to want to go to Hong Kong,” said Mr Low. Mr Low is visiting New Zealand to. study.the manufacture and distribution of carpets. He is with the Hong Kong importing firm of Robertson, Wilson and Company, Ltd., which represents Felt and Textiles of New Zealand, .Ltd., in Hong Kong and Bangkok. Mr Low has been managing Felt and Textiles’ part of his firms’ business in Hong Kong. “We handle the whole range of Felt and Textiles products and we think there is an expanding market for them,” he said. “The New Zealand company obtained an order for 11 miles of carpet for the Hong Kong Hilton Hotel, claimed to be the largest hotel in the world excepting America. “The Mandarin Hotel of 24 floors and 800 bedrooms is due for completion in September. We have the order for the carpets for the corridors. We also will be supplying the yarn from New Zealand to be made into carpets in Hong Kong. They are weaving the corridor carpet for the Mandarin Hotel at the Riccarton factory now, and I am seeing how it is done. "The President Hotel is being built now. It, too, will be of 800 bedrooms and we are negotiating for the carpet order there, but nothing has been decided yet. “Everybody in New Zealand has carpet in his home. bu| we are * ar from reaching that stage in Hong Kong,” said Mr Low. “As the standard of living rises, the demand for carpet is bound to rise. There is business to be had, but we will have to go out and get it. We will aim first at the European expatriates and at business offices. Felt and Textiles brought me to New Zealand as part of their policy to familiarise their agents with the manufacturing and distributing processes. The firm is going, all out in an export drive in Far Eastern markets.”

Mr Low, a Chinese, was born in China but brought up in England, where he was educated. The other members of the family were born in Efegland. On Saturday he will leave from Auckland for Hong Kong.