FIJI PINEAPPLES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 19 August 1929, Page 9

FIJI PINEAPPLES.

HAWAII TO TAKE A HAND. BIG ISLAND DEVELOPMENT. The biggest news that has come to Fiji since the war was a cable message received by Sir Maynard l Hedstrom that the directors oif the Hawaiian Pineapple Co. Laid decided to experiment with the growing and canning of pineapples in Fiji. In 1924 the Government sent the Colonial Treasurer to Canada, and Hawaii to push the possibilities of Fiji as a grower of bananas and pi lie-apples. The result-then was that the Dominion Canners, Ltd., agreed to experiment in conjunction with the Fiji Government, and the outcome was the definite- assurance that the Fiji canned pine equalled anything in the world. Later Sir Maynard; Hedstrom, armed with a case of canned Fiji pines, went to Hawaii and had a conference with the Hawaiian company. He proved to them that Fiji wais a. field well worthy of trial. A .strong delegation of the company directors and experts came- to- Fiji and made an extended' tour over the colony. They secured an option for three years of 60,000 acres in Vamia Leva, in the Rr.eketi -district-. There were other lidd* offering, however, and an expert wais sent to Malaya to- see whether that field would! be preferable to- Fiji. He returned to Hawaii on June 29, so President- Dole wasted no time in coining to a. decision in favour of Fiji. The cheaper labour in Malaya evidently must have been counterbalanced by the other facilities offered, at Fiji. The c.nipany will now have a. three yeans lease oil the 60.600 acres at a concessional]. rental from the beguiling -of 1-930, and during that time experiments will be tried to prove exactly what the prospects- warrant. In the meantime the two local pineapple canning companies are busy, and everything points to the establishment of an industry which may become the chief one in the colony.