Phenomenal Prices
p. 160 · Read in the full issue
for Pacific SA
A FEW years ago, when the anese re-entered the shell ing business, there were prc tions that the shell market wk be ruined from the point of of Islands producers. Japanese ] cutting was feared.
This has not been so and pq now are fantastically high, cerhd higher than at any time sinces fore the war.
One parcel of New Guinea troo changed hands recently for a ] in the vicinity of £ASOO per toi< store, Sydney. Supplies of troo are very short.
The announcement by the * Islands Administration that M/ hiki lagoon would be closed ft rest period of one year, and sibly longer, caused a sudden demand for what was describes the last pearl-shell consignmen come out of the lagoon. There reports in Sydney that this pc of black-lip mother-of-pearl chat hands at £ABOO per ton, c.i.f. Syc Manihiki will close on Deceie 31, so undoubtedly there will, a little more shell to come there. There will be keen msj interest in Penrhyn lagoon now.; question is whether the shell! prove clean, in the main, or whej there will be much wormy shes might be expected after a period of little diving. The Penc exporters will be well advisee closely watch the quality of shipments, grading if neces especially in the early stages, ot< wise the reputation of this lac may be established as unfavotu in comparison with Manihiki, There should be plenty ofl centive for a well sumption of diving operationr Suwarrow lagoon, to deten whether MOP is available then payable quantities. With the isj at present uninhabited it is posi for Japanese poachers to slip i that navigable lagoon.
Cook Islands law permits only ' Islanders, or Europeans resides the Cook Islands, to hold ot( diving licenses. The lagoons e divided into areas, and licenses? allocated on a yearly basis tm different areas, some of which j be closed for rest periods. Tht the first time that the entire W. hiki lagoon has been declared ca since the war. It has been a $ mine to the Cooks economy. fi The High Commissioner fom Western Pacific, Mr. J. G£ accompanied by Mrs. Gutch anr ADC, Captain W. Curtis, Honiara, BSIP. in the MV KtZ on October 25 for a visit to Gisi the Western Solomons, Mundae the Russell Islands.