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Story: Industrial design

Rothmans Design Train

In 1968 the New Zealand Industrial Design Council, with sponsorship from cigarette manufacturer Rothmans, initiated an awards programme to promote local industrial design. The total prize pool of $12,000 (~$192,000 today) was shared among 10 winners. The 180 finalists were displayed in a special train that toured the country and was visited by about 14% of the total population. These photos were taken while the train was in Gisborne.

Using this item

Tairawhiti Museum, Te Whare Taonga O Te Tairawhiti

Reference: Gisborne Photo News, 6 November 1968, pp. 32-3

Permission of Tairawhiti Museum, PO Box 716, Gisborne, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Michael Smythe, Industrial design – Innovation under protectionism, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/41855/rothmans-design-train (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Michael Smythe, published 12 June 2013.