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Confidential Discussions.
Vitally important in this connection is the confidential ature of these individual projects, which will be discussed privately between the executives and their tutors, the consultants. This course, which starts in mid-September and lasts over three months, is limited to a maximum of 20.
Coinciding with this programme is a series of discussion meetings for directors and managers consisting of 12 late afternoon sessions spread over six weeks from early October. The subjects range from a general review of business objectives to current market changes and their implications for marketing policy. The maximum number attending will be 25 directors and managers.
Both courses are eligible for grants available from the Cotton & Allied Textiles Industry Training Board. Some 1,400 firms in the industry, including the larger converting businesses, have been invited to send executives to attend the programmes. Mr. Bolton said he hoped the Centre would be embarrassed by the number of applications, so that further courses could follow the initial programmes in the early part of next year.
RECORD GARMENT IMPORTS.
With imports again well to the forefront in all discussions affecting textiles - and garment manufacturers protesting about the Board of Trade decision on future tariffs the latest returns showing the cost and volume of arrivals of woven made-up cotton articles in the first quarter of the current year are of considerable significance. The value of these imports at £14,770,000 reached a new record level, exceeding the cost of similar goods in the first three months of 1968 by some £900,000. In relation to the final quarter last year arrivals cost an additional £3 million.
Most of these supplies again came from Hong Kong, which contributed £7,766,000 against £7,112,000 in the first quarter of 1968, and £5,375,000 in the final three months last year.
Rising imports of cotton garments also came from the Irish Republic, the value being £1,329,000, while arrivals from the United States cost £655,000 in the first quarter this year against £393,000 in the same months of 1968.
The increase was due to much bigger purchases of foreign woven clothing. These cost £11,258,000 against £9,721,000 in the correspond- ing quarter last year. Men's and boys' coats, trousers, etc., accounted for £3,382,000-worth of imports against £2,612,000 and dresses £975,000 against £895,000. A notable increase occurred in the cost of slacks and skirts of foreign make at £318,000 against £201,000, while women's and girls chemically-proofed outerwear garments accounted for £914,000 against £569,000.
Cost of imported cotton shirts at £1,469,000 in the first quarter this year was the highest level since the corresponding three months in 1968 when arrivals were valued at £1,596,000. Smaller imports of foreign-made foundation garments cost £209,000 against £369,000, but imports of cotton handkerchiefs were valued at £158,000 against £94,000.
Foreign supplies of woven household textiles entering British ports in the first quarter this year were higher than in the final three months last year at £2,652,000, but compared with £2,974,000 in the same period of 1968. In the case of terry towels imports were higher, costing £1,064,000 against £981,000; arrivals of blankets, sheets and pillow cases were smaller than in 1968.