[?] r Rarotonga
p. 135 · Read in the full issue
King Raw Material
[?] The Workmen
[?]aua Shell Industry [?] r Rarotonga
ATE in June, the roof went onto I a new factory at Tupapa, Raro tonga; and across the island at orangi it was reported that a :ture theatre might soon be cou rted into another factory, rhe Tupapa factory has been ;cted by Mr. Joseph M. Finnegan, leading New Zealand manufac •ing jeweller, and it will produce 3 well known New Zealand paua ell (abilone) jewellery.
Vlr. Finnegan found in his Auck id factory that Cook Islanders jved skilful workers in cutting d carving the shell, as well as wood carving. The difficulty in i is to hold skilled workers, so conceived the idea of establish ; a factory in the Cook Islands.
Vbout 40 workers will be em lyed and these will have to be ined, then operations will be left der the direct control of a skilled ok Islands foreman.
U 1 the shell will be shipped •m New Zealand, together with 3 necessary metal mountings, ese will be silver-plated at Raro iga and the shell cut, polished d fitted to them. The completed >oches, etc., will be marketed in w Zealand. lome wood carving work and some >thetr-of-pearl-shell work, using al shell, may also be done, fhe Arorangi picture theatre was :ently purchased by Mr. Jim tram, together with a store, from 3 Taripo family. Mr. Ingram is partner in the firm of United and Traders Ltd., which also has interest in the Rarotonga cloth ; and boot-making factories. is believed that the Adminis tration is in the mood to wel come any and all forms of local lustry in the Cook Islands. A id many people are of the opinion it the encouragement of such in stries would provide a very im rtant boost to the territory’s momic difficulties, just as the ablishment of American manu turing industries in Puerto Rico s lifted the living standards of it formerly destitute territory.
Vith Cook Islands taxation now der revision the time seems Dortune to adjust the law so that ns operating in the Cooks will registered there and not in NevV iland, as at present, faxation incentives should then given to such industries, and 1 Cook Islands exchequer would lefit directly from the taxation all companies. Such taxes •rently go into general New iland revenue and do not con fute to the finances of the Cooks.