C
3
Thursday, January 11, 1973
"I must also congratulate the winners of the other awards.
Their products are a clear indication of what Hong Kong can achieve, and
I hope their efforts will stimulate further local research and development
in the design field.
"I understand that the Federation of Hong Kong Industries
will bring an expert design consultant to Hong Kong in order to assist
the Design Council and Centre in improving the services offered to
industry. This project has been organised through the United Nations
Industrial Development Organisation, and is supported by your Government.
Copyright Protection
"Ultimately, however, it is up to industry itself to develop
and improve the design of Hong Kong products. I hope that our manufacturers
will derive further inducement for this from the new legislation for
protection of copyright.
"The range of our export products on public view in the local
market has for long represented only the proverbial tip of the iceberg, and
not necessarily the best bit either because fear of imitation has led to
secrecy between rival manufacturers.
"I hope the new legislation will lessen these anxieties. By taking
the wraps off their products, our manufacturers will not only widen market
prospects on their home ground but stand to profit by mutual experience and
example. Like their counterparts in Japan, they can discover that the
lesson of competition is not to imitate but to go one better."
1
"In