A Glad Good-bye to Undesirable Tourists: Tahiti's Future Based on Agriculture

position, by the Montoro on January 7.

A Glad Good-bye to Undesirable Tourists Tahiti’s Future Based on Agriculture From Our Own Correspondent PAPEETE, December 20. rise in the price of copra at Marseilles during the past two months has greatly heartened the planters in the colonies of France in the Pacific.

During the long period of low prices for copra and vanilla and the practical extinction of demand for mother-of-pearl shell, the only future for the colony of French Oceania appeared to be a development of tourist traffic from the United States and Australasia.

This had been well under way when it was suddenly extinguished by the withdrawal of the passenger steamers voyaging over the Sydney-San Francisco route.

And, at the same moment, the devaluation of the franc increased the cost of wares and foodstuffs from the usual sources of supply.

These factors have compelled a radical readjustment of the commerce of the islands. Fortunately the excellent service by the steamers of the Messageries Maritimes links the colony with the Home Country which offers—and has offered during the difficult years—the most favourable market for its products.

Credit established in France by virtue of exclusive export to that country of Island products, will tend more and more to divert buying requirements toward French merchandise. Hitherto the lower values of foreign currencies in relation to the franc have permitted imports at costs greatly under those of French manufactures.

Should the prices for copra and vanilla be maintained, and the development of the pineapple canning industry eventuate in accordance with the hopes and expectations of its directors, the colony may look with confidence to a happier future, based on its agriculture rather than on the elusive traffic from tourists.

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