Call for unity in carpet industry

Press, 23 November 1976, Page 7

Call for unity in carpet industry

PA Palmerston North'i New Zealand carpet manu- i facturers should “bury the i hatchet” on the rights and: wrongs of the importing of:: a S6M Millitron Jet carpet-! printing machine, and make a determined effort to make the machine a success. This opinion was ex-1 pressed bj the member of Parliament for South Canter- i bun- (.Mr R. L. G. Talbot)( in an address at the Textile Institute’s fifth ' annual conference at Massey University. The theme of this year’s conference is "Carpets and Associated Technologies." Mr Talbot was speaking in place of the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Taiboys), who! has just returned from over-' seas. The Deputy Secretary for Trade and Industry (Mr G. H. Datson; also criticised the industry for its attitude about the Millitron. “I would hope that when, the question of new technology a," a in arises, there will be a better appreciation of the importance of this

country by industry’s adopting a spirit of co-operation, and ensuring that common benefits are recognised and j acted upon,” Mr Datson said. The Millitron machine was i imported for installation in the Stevens-Bremner factory at Foxton. Other carpet i interests strongly opposed ; the move, and criticised the [Government's decision. They i said the Millitron would be superseded in 18 months by cheaper machines. The Government has said -the machine would be run by Stevens-Bremner, but would be available to other carpet makers on commission. There was also criticism that transporting car- ! pet to and from Foxton ’ from other centres, particularly Auckland would be costly. Mr Talbot said the decision had been made, and carpet makers would now have to work to make the machine a success, and contribute to a specialist New Zealand industry of carpets for export.