CAINNING A NEW SHELL-FISH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 595, 25 August 1909, Page 9

CAINNING A NEW SHELL-FISH.

IN: THE FAR, FAR NORTH,

~' ">■•. (By--Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) . .. Auckland, August 24. .The: Northern Wairoa-possesses a unique industry—that of'the preserving and' canning of toherpas. These tasty shell-fish exist only on West. Coast north, of Manuk.au, but their chief breeding grounds arc on the wide stretch of Ocean Beach, distant some seven miles from Dargaville. The delicious bivalve is something on which tho Kaipara people plume themselves, and winch , they-'introduce' to.the notice of guests with an air of patronage. So insinuatingly; has it worked'itself-into tho menu of;,the north-: enr West; Coast settler that, although common, it'is-regarded as a toothsome food, and, housewives pride themselves on the number.of recipes'they possess for its culinary treatment./ So general a food favourite has it-become that a canning factory 'has been established at Mahuta Gap, and a profitable industry has resulted. In an average season 12,000 dozen tins - aro. handled in the canning ;factory. : , Auckland is the', chief market,: but Dunediri, Gisborne,: and Wanganui annually demand their quota. Tho Australian and Indian markets will bo .exploited in'thenear, future, and sample cases aro now being forwarded to the editor- of : the London '"Pood arid ''Cookery Journal,"' l so that the; merits of the New Zealand product may-bo ; sampled by, food, experts" in - : . ; tfce Homeland. ■>:■■-'■■■■■'■• : ' : .; :; .;' ■■■-•■ '■, • "':';; ; -' :

• At present • some, enterprising purveyor's are supplying the Auckland market with the fish fresh, in'the shell, but the main drawback to' Such a"!venture is the' extreme brittlehess of the shells,.which;fracture with surprising ease. Some few years ago a city merchant conceived the idea that' the.large and handsome shells might have a monetary value in: the: English market, and two cases of Bpecially-choscn, specimens were consigned to a London firm, and met' with their approbation'-, in: regard-, to '• size and shape; but all attempts stamp them with ornamentatjve devices failed. Even under soft-pad treatment they crocked, and so a promising scheme cam© to nothing.:' ' ■"■'. , .