DAIRY PIONEER.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1920, Page 4

DAIRY PIONEER.

DEATH OF MR. CHEW CHONG. AN INTERESTING LIFE. The death occurred at New Plymouth yesterday morning of Mr. Chew Chong, who was a well-known figure in Taranaki, and who has been credited with establishing the dairy industry in the province.

Mr. Chong, w,ho was born in China, had reached the age of 92. He went to school in China. He had associated with English people since his early days when he was a household servant in Singapore for ten years. In 1855 he went to Melbourne and was engaged in storekeeping and goldmining for eleven years. In 1860 Mr. Chong proceeded to New Zealand, landing at Dunedin, where he remained for two years. He commenced travelling the Colony buying old metal to send to China, and during his journey ho discovered the edible fungus —a favorite food in China. He was the first to begin the fungus industry, and bought and exported the first shipment. From the years 1872 to 1904, fungus of the declared value of £305,095 was exported from New Zealand. Mr. Chong began buying in 1868, and many a backblock bush settler can testify to the help derived'from the fungus harvest. It was in 1870 that the late Mr. Chong settled in New Plymouth and established a store, in conjunction with which he also ran a fungus business. He continued operations for oyer twenty years, besides having branches at luglewood and Eltham for some time. He subsequently turned his attention to dairy farming when farm-made butter would bring only 4d per lb, and in 1887 established the "Jubilee Dairy Factory at Eltham and equipped [t with a separator. In 1889 he exhibited samples of factorymade butter at the Dunedin Exhibition and gained two certificates and a silver cup for the best half-ton available for export.

Mr. Chong claimed to have been a pioneer of the dairy industry in the Eltham district. At one time he had 200 cows in milk in order to be independent in the matter of supply for his factory, and he afterwards added a second. After sixteen years' experience, during which he had paid away large sums to local farmers, Mr. Chong sold out, Retiring from business in 1900, Mr. Chong remained in New Plymouth, having, resided at Vogeltovvn and Courtenay Street. Mr.'Chong married" a daughter of Mr. Joseph Whatton, of Mnstertort, irt 1875. He is survived, by a widow and three daughters and thr!ee i son*.' > ''■'' The family* are: Mrs. Wilkes '(New Plymouth), Mrs. Wilkie (Rotorua), Miss Freda Chong (New PiymSuth), Mr. A. J. Chong (Stratfoitf), apd Messrs. W. H. and Gerald Chong (New Plymouth).