PEARL OYSTERS

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1928, Page 4

PEARL OYSTERS

TAHITI’S PICTURESQUE

INDUSTRY

'CHRISTCHURCH, July 7

It in a trite, saying that precious goods are often wrapped up in small parcels and yesterday a representative qf “The Press” as given a practical illustration of it. In the course of an interview, Mr G. Sevicke Jones, of Christchurch, showed the pressman an ordinary cigarette tin, such as is used to hold twenty-five cigarettes of a popular brand, and assured him that the contents were worth at least £ISCO. On looking into the box, the interviewed found that packed in it in cotton-wool was a collection of pearls of various shapes and shades. There were pearls of Royal lustre, .blue, and also gold and they had been purchased by Air Jones from dealers at Tahiti, from which French possession he had just returned. Air Jones said that pearl fishing was done by the native Tahitians, who found it a profitable industry. The archipelago was divided into five fishing zones, which were allowed to be wdrked only once- in every five years. When they were brought to the surface tlio pearls were cut close to the shells in such a way as not to kill the 1 mollusc, which was then squeezed over a bucket to make it disgorge any pearls it might secrete. The oysters were then placed in another

and tlie divers “were compelled by la>v to take them beneath the surface of the sea. and place them in a crevice of a rock, where no enemy could attack them in their unprotected state. This allowed them to make another shell for themselves and to produce more pearls. The pearl shells were piled up ill heaps, and the French received an export duty in respect of them from the natives, who sold the pearls to dealers.

An interesting fact mentioned by Mr Jones was that when in its native habitat the oyster was attended bv sentinel crabs. Which at the approach of an enemy warned the oyster by runpin gto it, the mollusc closing its shell qp the crab and providing mutual protection. Unfortunately, said Mr Jones, tlie crab is sometimes killed but the oyster, by way of making amends builds a pearly sepulchre over the crab in much the same wav as a bee will bury , an insect intruder into its hive under wax. Mr Jones showed the pressman such an exhibit.

“There are not enough pearls obtained to meet the great demand that exists for them,” said Mr Jones, “and some'fabulous prices are realised for the particularly good ones. I was shown a pearl of 7J carat IS oval lustre which was worth no less than £15,000. There is-a ready market 'for them ih Paris, London and New York. Paris being the headquarters.