May Be Salvation

In Passion Fruit

Norfolk Is. Seeks New Industries

THERE are indications that the severe economic distress of Norfolk Island is to end in a passion fruit industry; and the islanders now hope that from the fruit of the passion-fruit vine, which grows luxuriantly all over the little ter ritory, they will at least derive a regular income. This journal, some years ago. strongly urged the establishment of a N.I. passion fruit industry. The Norfolk Island passion fruit is of superior quality, and there is an unlimited supply of the fruit.

Mr. G. A. Flack, of Manly, Sydney, is. at the head of the new plan. He is prepared to establish a canning factory in Norfolk Island not later than January next, and to pay the islanders IJd. per lb. for all fruit brought to his factory, on condition that he is himself given certain guarantees in regard to supply. He says that he will take as much fruit as the islanders can produce; but obviously he is not going to pioneer an industry of this kind, only to have some rival con cern come in and ride on the success of his project, and interfere with his supply by offering the islanders a higher and possibly uneconomic price for the fruit.

The Norfolk Island community appears to be well disposed towards Mr. Flack’s plan, and negotiations are likely to come to a successful conclusion.

Until the steamer connection with Auckland was discontinued, an Auckland firm, Messrs. Thompson and Hills, car ried on passion-fruit canning in a modest way on Norfolk Island. Since they ceased operations, small canning plants have been operated by Mr. Scott Robinson and Mr. Bennett; but their purchases of pas sion fruit have been small and unimpor tant.

Another section of the Norfolk Islanders is trying to establish a butter-making industry. Led by Mr. Locksmith, a suc cessful farmer, and aided by the Com monwealth Bank, they are now building a small dairy factory and they hope to be able at least to supply the domestic requirements of Norfolk Island. Critics of the plan, however, say that there can not be any successful dairying industry in Norfolk Island until a much better breed of cow is introduced, and until some practical plan of pasture improvement is put into operation. The cows of Nor folk Island are a nightmare in the sight of men who have studied the dairying industry in New Zealand and Australia.