Thursday Island Prays
p. 11 · Read in the full issue
To Fashion Gods
From Our Orcn Correspondent THURSDAY IS., October 20.
TROCHUS shell prices have drop ped again to a price that allows very little profit, and they probably will remain low until Japan and China settle their differences.
As an offset to this, beche-de-mer prices—chalk fish in particular —have risen slightly. A good deal of high quality beche-de-mer has been com ing in lately, mixed lots fetching an all-round price of about £85 per ton little enough when the expenses are taken into consideration.
There are rumours that new uses, or rather, old uses revived, are being found for pearl shell. Paris is said to be in favour of large buttons on its women folk. This fashion worked out very well for Thursday Island many years ago, and it is to be hoped history will repeat itself.