LORD HOWE ISLAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24254, 23 March 1940, Page 15

LORD HOWE ISLAND

PALM SEED MONOPOLY LOST WAR HITS TOURIST TRAFFIC (From Our Own Correspondent) SYDNEY, Mar. 13. Residents of Lord Howe Island, a tiny speck in mid-Tasman. are facing a serious financial position. because they have lost their famed monopoly of the production of seed from kentia palms and because war has struck a heavy blow at their tourist traffic. The islanders' reserves, built up from profits in past years, are being, deDleted. so steadily that the Chief Secretary of New South Wales, which administers the island, has ordered a survey to be made of the resources of the island. Mr. R. Hicks, a member of the Lord Howe Island Board of Control, will leave for the island by the next boat to make an investigation. "The position of the islanders is serious," said the Chief Secretary. Mr Tonking. "We will see whether it is possible to improve the shipping services in order that an income may be recieved from the tourist traffic." For many years the islanders have lived mainiy on the sale of seed from kentia seeds, which is marketed by the Board of Control in Sydney. In recent years kentia palms have reached maturity in other places, including Norfolk Island, and the profits of the Lord Howe islanders have declined. Then came the war's effect on tourist traffic and the irregularity of the shipping service, The Board of Control, in a preliminary review of the island's plight, has come to the conclusion that if the islanders are to keep on a new era must be introduced. Some consideration has been given to the advantage of attracting new capital to the island. There are no motor cars on the island, and no liquor can be sold there. The introduction of both would add to the tourist attractions. Residents have permissive occupancy of the land, but newcomers can only board and cannot obtain land. Most of the islanders are descendants of the Bounty mutineers.