The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1920. AN INTERESTING CAREER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXXI, Issue 71, 12 October 1920, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1920. AN INTERESTING CAREER.

h An intores ing career was terminated on Thursday last by the death at New Plymouth of Mr Chew Chong, at the age of r i2. H c arrived in Melbourne in 1855 and after a stay cf eleven years

removed to New Zealand. He travelled all over the country buying up old metal, which ho sent to Chi :a, and di-covering idibl© fungus during 11 1 :-:» travels, ho began in 18dS the buying of fungus. Many settlers in New Zc ilaiul revived quite considerable assistance through the purchases made by Mr Chong, and it is worthy cf note that from 1872 to ICO 1 the value of fgngus exported from. New Zealand was declared to bo £305,995. Mr Chong established his store-keeping business in New P.ymouth in 1870, and .continued it until 1890. During this period be became interested in dairying, and in 1887 established the Jubilee Factory at Eltham. In 1889 be was awarded a silver cup at the exhib-

ition in Dunedin for the best half-ton of butter suitable for export. The older resident 8 of Taranaki can relate some interesting stories regarding Mr Chong and bis fungus-buying when he app. ar-

cd first in New Plymouth. The purchase of dried fungus was something of a my. tery to farmers, who, however, "•ero Quite willing to sell it at 4d per lh. When about thirty bales of fungus had been collected Mr Chong left the country, but left a sum of money with Mr Cottier, of the Masonic Hotel, instructing him to purchase fungus. -Mr Cheng, not returning, he began to fee] uneasy, but eventually Mr Chong did return and Mr Cottier was given an exact settlement. A similar standard of rict integri'y marked a’l >Mr Chong’s d aliitgs. Later, Mi- Chong lost the monopoly in the fungus business, other firms starting to operate, a."d ton s of fungus wer e brought to New Plymouth and disposed of to m?r-

chan 1 a and storekeepers. In his association with the establishment of the dairying industry and butter-making in Taranaki the latg Mr Chong took a prominent part in all those movements which had for their object the development of the industry. His own factory at Eltham had eventually to give place to factories es'ablished on the co-oper-ative system, hut h e took a prominent part in all negotiation carried on for the progress of the industry, and was frequently a member of deputations to the Government asking for assistance in carrying on the industry. ‘ ;r ‘ i;