CI Pearling Industry
p. 149 · Read in the full issue
A Boost for the CI Pearling Industry
IT appears that a serious effort is to be made to extend the valu able mother-of-pearl fisheries in the Cook Islands. South Pacific Commission’s Fisheries Officer, Mr Van Pel, is to go to the Northern Group in April to organise a trans fer of black-lip shell from Mani hiki to Pukapuka. A special tank has already been constructed for experimental transfer of live oysters.
More than one “beach European” with faith in the potential of these islands, but no capital, has asked why New Zealand has diverted so much money into the fickle, perish able, citrus industry with all its problems of prompt shipment, cooler space, etc., and nothing at all into valuable alternatives like coffee, cocoa, and an extension of the shell beds in the north.
Over the past five years, at the outlay of almost no capital at all— except a few second-hand diving machines—the mother-of-pearl shell industry centred almost entirely on the one little atoll of Manihiki, has earned £387,000—a Imo s t all in dollars. The citrus industry of six Lower Group Islands combined, at considerable capital outlay, has earned £225,000 (in NZ currency) over the same period.
Had a fraction of the money spent on the citrus industry been diverted to a serious effort to transfer shell to Rakahanga, Pukapuka, and pos sibly Manuae, after the war the total earnings of the Cook Islands might have been very considerably augmented by now.
No early results can now be ex pected, even if the transfer is suc cessfully accomplished next year.