Tornado unveils N.Z. exhibition

Press, 26 February 1983, Page 12

Tornado unveils N.Z. exhibition

From

JOHN HUTCHISON

San Francisco Trade officers in San Francisco are relating their adventures with a tornado which whirled through the big stand housing New Zealand's exhibits at the recent California Farm Equipment Show, reducing it to a wreck. The handsome stand was completed the day before the show, which is one of the biggest agricultural machinery expositions in the world, held annually in Tulare, California. It is an agricultural community in the state’s Central valley, where “twisters” are a rare weather phenomenon. On the next morning, the tent sheltering the Israeli, Italian, and New Zealand stands had been blown away and the site littered with the debris of wooden panels, a 6m display tower, and 140 sq m of carpet. To Mr Christopher Gorton, New Zealand Trade Commissioner,’ and his assistant, Mr John Cryer, the prospect at first looked hopeless, but with the aid of volunteers from the Tulare community and the offer of space from other exhibitors whose space

had survived the tornado, the exhibit was resited and restored on the same day. “Our stand was completely torn to pieces, but the equipment for display was almost undamaged," said Mr Gorton. “The farm show is supported by a large body of volunteer workers. With their help and with space made available by the Canadians and the International Harvester Company, we were able to restore everything and hold a successful exhibition.” New Zealand products displayed included All-Flex ear tags, electronic weighing and sizing equipment from McDonald Fruit Machines, Ltd, AHI and Nu-Pulse milking machinery, organic fertiliser from Export Growth Marketing, Begg and Allen front-end loaders, electric fencing equipment from Hurricane Wire Products and New Zealand Wire Products, a no-till seeder built by P. and D. Duncan, Ltd, and a lifting device with which veterinarians can lift and transport large animals, made by Matamata Motor Trimmers. The exposition drew 100,000 visitors.