Are Pacific Candlenuts

Unsaleable?

OUR correspondent in Mangaia, Cook Islands, states that, for reasons not yet made clear, the once eagerly sought local candlenut, a rich source of valuable oil for paint-mixing, varnish manufacture, etc., is to-day a drug on the market.

Large quantities of the nuts were ex ported after purchase by Mr. D. C.

Brown, of the Cook Islands, and other buyers who were quick to seize the op portunity to develop this market, about 18 months ago. Since then, the demand has ceased entirely, and traders make no further call for this Cl product.

The Mangaia Island Council, which runs a store, had apparently amassed a very large stockpile of the nuts, still in shell, in expectation of a further call.

When this did not eventuate, the nuts were finally piled in a yard, and set on fire. The bonfire burned for two days.

Mangaians are disappointed at the sudden collapse of what promised to be a new enterprise.

Plant for the extraction of oil from the exceedingly hard candlenut was set up in Fiji at the end of 1945 at a time when drying oils for paint were in short supply. The enterprise later became a Fiji “protected industry.”

It was felt at the time of its estab lishment that the supply of local candle nuts might be inadequate to keep the oil factory functioning. It may be that this was not the case; and this, coupled with the fact that linseed oil is now more readily available, could expain why there is now no demand for Mangaia cande nuts.