HURRICANE SEASON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21160, 18 April 1932, Page 10

HURRICANE SEASON.

DANGER PERIOD PASSED. RELIEF IN THE ISLANDS. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] SUVA, April 8. General relief is being expressed throughout Fiji that the hurricane season has passed by without any " blow " having made its appearance to add to tho economic difficulties now facing the colony. The season is commonly regarded as from December to the beginning of April, although hurricanes have been known to put in an appearance in late November and in early April. Another hurricane this year would have been regarded as the, proverbial " last straw." Tho hurricane of 1950 destroyed tho native food plantations on the northern and western coasts of this island. Tho natives had just planted again and along came the floods and hurricane of March, 1931, which again devastated the plantations. To mako matters worse for the copra growers the price of copra dropped to £6 iss. This, on lop of their misfortune with the hurricanes, was a heavy blow, as this price fell far short of meeting the cost of production. Many trees were put out of bearing and production fell off considerably. This led to native labour being put off and many plantations drifting into a bad state.

At. the present, time (lie planlal ions are beginning to recover from the effects of tho last hurricane and pnlnis will soon be in full bearing again. Although copra b;is dropped somewhat owing to tho increaso in the pound .sterling, the price, £9 10s, is still much higher than last vear. Now that wo have come safely through the dreaded season planters are more inclined to smile. Prices may vise and fall, but at least the hurricane season is over and the trees are bearing well. This, indeed, is something In be thankful for.