And HE'S Staked His

Faith in Fiji

ast September Mr. G. Walkerden, Australian by birth, was in the Jtroplating business in Sydney in a friend of his, returning from rip to Fiji, told him that there med to be an opening for a ting business in Suva. ■he picture painted of Fiji must r e been a bright one, because Mr.

Ikerden was in business in Suva November—and there seems to every reason to suppose that he not regret the move. /hen in May a PIM staff corre ndent visited his works —Fiji In trial & Plating Co. —occupying t of a new building in Suva’s r Walu Bay industrial area, re was an air of quiet confidence ut manager Walkerden. here are no plush offices yet;

o?? b g workshop with a triple I?w of large oblong tanks brimming with acid solutions, and further back of ,f rin ding and buffing machines where three men were busy preparing metal objects for the plating process.

“Naturally we’re having our problems, and also our surprises,”

Mr. Walkerden said. “First of all, the boys here have to be trained; and in spite of the fact that there’s a lot of unemployment around at present, it isn’t always easy to hold men.

“Then there’s the very humid climate which introduces a few minor problems. Before any item can be plated it has to be absolutely clean and free from rust—and rust

will appear here in hours.”

Until this industry was estab lished, all plating work had to be sent to New Zealand or Australia at considerable cost. It’s establishment could open the way to other new businesses, . O ne suggested by Mr. Walkerden is the manufacture of tubular steel furniture. It could, he thinks, be produced for the local market at a price well below the imported pro duct, and provide employment for tradesmen. No expensive machinery is involved.

As such industries spring up all concerned should benefit from this plating industry, which is at present set up for plating in chrome, nickel, copper, and silver.