THE PACIFIC ISLANDS

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 928, 22 September 1910, Page 8

THE PACIFIC ISLANDS

.// ./EVIDENCES. OF, 'PROGRESS. / -.;. (By; TeloKraph.—Special;, Correspondent.) : '■■ ' Auckland,/September.:2t', .'■" Some', interesting 'remarks Tegarding the.-''Pacific,:'-Islands-: -'ahd' 1 -''their '-„ prospects were made to a; representative of the "Herald" yesterday .by ■ the' Hon. % ; Mitchelson,' who has recently .visited several of .the/islands.,,/ He' stated: that he, was greatly'.impressed, .with vthe possibility (,of/future; trade/expansion in lbs Islands. ■';•.' '■/'/'■-'!- '.. "The copra: trade, at present," /he ,6nid, "is bettefi than a: gold mine. . Copra is> commanding a/high: price, and it :is being"usedi'-for ; 'a> large/ number//of ', purposes ' .besides/ithe/ manufacture*...of., pil and soap. It. is, being;la'r'gely utilised in the ..manufacture of /-.vegetable butter, which is/used, to. a large extent in/cohieotionery v Vwhilst in. Germany it is said to take : the /place , of..'ordinary, -table butter -to a 'large extent;.";. The' surface'.of the land in the Fiji/Group./withthe ex- 1 'ception'/of-the'. Sugar Company's, planta-' tion, has so far been little' more than' merely spratched,;: and. with /systematic; 'plaiiting, .which-is,liow/beihg commenced,' there, 'should,, be" a large increase in the; yield in-:; these /'islands.,-. .The /Colonial Sugar Company, is extendirig its ' opera-: lions, and largely; increasing the area devoted to '■ the ■■ cultivation of ' sugar cane." -...-•■■; ... -...-• : ,:"-\: ■■'

; ■In : Samba,very. great • evidences •' of•., progress ;.niere also noJiced ; /by..,Mr;';Mitchel- ■ son; ■" .;[ "In / this / group)","; he ' said, .-,"the ;Ge'raah's r haye' gone' in for;the systematic planting/of/ not only-,coconuts, but also, cocoa and-rubber. - The way in which the.estates: are managed" by the ■ is a striking object-lesson, "and there <is ■!'no r doubt I ithatHthe '.:Samoan/.Group.-- has,; a.great.':future, before it. ■:'[ It; has always .been- supposed 'that'.coconuts .would grpV only "-near/the sea, .but, the Germans have' proved that they grow/well at an'alti-, •tude.of .300,.feet, abovecthe sea level." // ' '■: Mr.;; Mit'chelson/.sa'id/it -was >a matter 'for:: regret that, more- of, the Island, trade, was not-being' secured, by Auckland.; So: fai/ as Tonga,- Haapai,/ and Vavau"'.were jconcerned,:..New Zealand was.- getting! a. 'l'an'/share/.of the trade, but Sydney: appeared to/be getting '.the great bulk of the Fiji, aiid Samoan"trade. j'The Syd,hey..'merchants/appeared' to be; very'keenj and. had. their -trayellers' stationed in'! the '■grdups'V(ttnd', , ---tTayelling'':/fromi-.islan , d'.''-.'.tb island. . ; ::;": '■■/"■',,'-;-"" > -/ ■": ."In my opinion," ■'. he .added, -."the (Auckland;;,merch'ants /should.-".. make ■ '.an 'effortL.tb;-get;:baek' a''p'orfioh'of this trade', which anyone .who. is ./at 'all . observant must see is 'worth catering for.; ''Thero ;is no reason why - a much larger;-portion ,of .the trade 'should not.-.bei'done'-Dy''.our' ;raercharits,:especially;with;Fiji,', which is some-.'GOO miles nearer'-.'■;Auckland than jydney.'/.;-'■.;■■'■,,■,'/■',.-:■.•;".!,; ' .-'

: Mf.--;Mitchelsqh: added that a large number of.,the: passengers:--by.-the 1 : last Island'bo'at, ,wbo | came.-:from'--the.-'south-ern ipai't'bf - New Zealand, (stayed over at- Suva, ,in -order to inspcot- the' land, :with'a view .to goiug ; ; into; the '.plantation business." '-■ :',-.- -/,.