Arab building boom aids N.Z.

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34132, 20 April 1976, Page 7

Arab building boom aids N.Z.

(X Z. Press Association) j AUCKLAND. A boom in the con-I st ruction of hospitals, schools, and high-rise office blocks in the Per-i sian Gulf was providing opportunities for New Zealand, said a tra>ie mission manager. Mr R. Southcombe. who re-: turned with the mission | leader, Air D. Donaldson. Mr Southcombe expected: a building shortage in the re-1 gion to worsen after the; Lebanese crisis, as many: international companies! were moving their Middle! East headquarters there j from Beirut. In providing equipment? for this development, New; Zealand had already made great strides, he said. Sales! of metal roofing tiles, alu-1 minium products, pre-' fabricated houses, builders’. hardware and metal-cuttingi

equipment were made bv the! I mission. Saies exceeded last year's! j total of sl.sm although Mr • Donaldson did not say by how much. Construction equipment, I foodstuffs, carpets, dinner ware, and gift ware are also ; selling well in the Persian ‘ Gulf States. Shipping difficulties were! a problem which served as a 1! .warning that New Zealand! '.needed to reduce its dependence on surface transport,! Mr Donaldson said. One wayt Ito do this would be to establish a “single plane” air-! freighting business to the region. Efforts were being '•made to arrange this. Mr Donaldson said he! wished to dissociate the: ' leaders of the mission from! '■ i comments made in London •by one of the members, whoj :• is reported to have said that! •jthe Dairy Board had made; ■ “some dreadful mistakes” in; ; selling to the Arabs. j Leaders of the mission! .had nothing but encour-j '.agement for the work prim-; pary producers were doing.