Thursday Is. Notes.

Trochus in Good Demand.

From Our Own Correspondent.

Thursday Is., June 30.

THE year 1932 is now halfway through its course, and has so far produced no very startling events, nor shown in any way that our faith in this little community’s ability to weather the business depression successfully has been misplaced.

The marine industries are holding their own and showing satisfactory re sults at a time when many Australian industries are with difficulty kept alive.

The least favourable branch at present is the beche-de-mer trade, which shows by low prices the influence of troubles in the East, The demand has now become more normal, that is to say, the commodity can be always sold, but the reward to fishermen is not very great, ranging from £150 per ton for the highest-priced fish to £25 or £30 for chalk fish.

Trochus is far more satisfactory and is quoted to-day at £62 per ton with good demand, but poor supplies. The lessening in trochus production is due to the late start made by piearlers, and this delay arose from the difficulty in manning the boats at the usual time.

The supply of trochus “skin” divers largely comes from the Torres Strait Islands, and men wishing to engage with local pearlers were unable to do so before the Government-owned boats were manned.

Pearl shell is quoted at £180 and out side the big firms a few native-owned boats are doing a little in this line.

This is the season when social events loom largely in the year’s programme.

The Masonic Dance held on June 24 was the biggest gathering of its kind for many years and tho guests showed their appreciation by keeping the ball rolling until 3 a.m.

The Children’s Fancy Dress Dance, timed for July 1, is bound to be a suc cess and is looked forward to by the youngsters for weeks beforehand.