City Ideal’ Centre For S.I. Industry

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30839, 26 August 1965, Page 1

City Ideal’ Centre For S.I. Industry

Christchurch was ideally located to become the manufacturing centre for the South Island, an Australian industrial and trade expert said yesterday.

He is Mr W. S. Lowe, Victorian manager of John P. Young and Associates Pty. Ltd., who for several years headed the Australian Government's programme in research into industrial economics, including the establishment of new industries.

‘Christchurch is the onlv major city in New Zealand which is built on flat land. It is the only major centre of population which can expand to an almost unlimited degree without running into the barriers of hills or sea which seriously inhibit growth.” said Mr Lowe.

“With the hinterland and general resources of the South Island there would seem to be no doubt that an expanding future can be forecast for this part of New Zealand. It is ideally located to become the manufacturing centre for the South Island an.', the substantial population available within a 200-mile radius will undoubtedly make it a more important citv in relation to other areas than is generally recognised.”

Mr Lowe is a New Zealander—he is a graduate in arts and commerce of the University of New Zealand—who made his career in trade and industry in Australia

Mr Lowe said New Zealand as a whole had reached a point of no return in its developmental programmes. At this point he considered the most important step forward for the country was to recognise the critical importance of the export trade, and to become much more confident of the ability of New Zealand manufacturers to compete abroad.