There is Money in Shells

THOUGH it is well-known that mother-of-pearl, trochus and green-snail shells are worth good money, it is perhaps less well known that there is still an ex cellent market in the United States for all kinds of other, small orna mental shells from the Islands.

A number of people are making good money as a side-line in ex porting packages of such shells to curio dealers.

Shells picked up above the high water mark are usually sun-bleached and are of no value, but occasion ally after a storm, many small varieties of attractive shells are washed up from the reef and are suitable for export, after boiling.

Market value depends on attractive ness of markings. Even quite small shells are known to be bringing 1/- or 1/6 each.

American contacts are a closely guarded secret and it is up to the prospective exporter to find his own outlet there. But markets cer tainly do exist at the present time.

II Sir Geoffrey Clay, KCMG, OBE, MC, agricultural adviser to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, after visiting the British Solomon Islands Protectorate, was expected to spend a month in Fiji in January- February. His visit to Fiji is linked with the Colony’s application for a considerable grant from the De velopment Fund for the establish ment of a greatly extended rice in dustry.

A Japanese fishing vessel was given permission in early February to enter Rabaul Harbour to obtain medical aid for a crew member suf

fering from suspected appendicitis.