The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-12-03

$50 in 1905; cheese, confectionery,
fruit, furniture, lard, condensed milk,
paints and colors, paper, rope and
twine, rubber manufactures, saddles
and harness, shoes, soap, sugar, tools
and implements, vege tables, vehicles,
wines and spirits, and wood manufac-
lures
Transportation and Mails.
1.-The Oceanic Steamship company
of San Francisco furnishes a good
J freight AID passenger service be-
tween that city an; Tahiti, making a
round trip every 36 days, and the
Union Steamship company of New
Zealand furnishes similar service
every 2S days between Auckland and
Tahiti. It is to be feared that the
advance made in the freight rates of
the former company in March, 1907,
Will operate TO the disadvantage Of
the United States and in favor Of
New Zealand. 1t is especially unfor-
tunate that this advance in rates
! should be made at this time, because
in the commerce Of these islands II
1906 the United States lost in i'm
ports and exports, while New Zea-
land gained in both.
"Both of these steamship lines
carry mails. It is surprising how
many persons, even business firms in
San Francisco, put United States 2
cent stamps on letters sent to Tahiti,
when 5 cents is the rate. In such
cases not only the deficiency but
double that amount as penalty pos
tage must be paid here. Every
month postage on many such letters
has to be paid at the Papeete post
office. A letter and sealed package
Of printed matter came to this con-
sulate recently from prominent
American on which there was 60
cents in postage due.'
The Native Products.
The Society Islands produce lot
Of copra, and also Of mother of
pearl. Of the price Of these two COM
modities. DR.. Dreher writes:
"On May %, 1907, copra was
bringing more than $1O0 per metric
ton (2.2O4.6 pounds) in Papeete,
which is double the price paid there
for two years ago. This great in
crease ia price has been caused by
! the more extensive use made Of CO.
ccanut oil, the astonishing demand
in Europe for cocoanut butter, and
also, it is said, by the partial failure
! of the crop in other eocoanut- grow
| ING countries. Although in some dis
tricts in Tahiti and other Society Is
lands the blight has reduced the yield
considerably, the crop for this year
in the colony promises to be on the
whole a good one. The export duty
on copra is 10 francs (I.93) per
metric ton."
The price Of mother-of-pearl she'll
remains low because buttons made
Of the dark-edged variety produced
in the Society Islands are not fash
| ionable. Although the present price
of shell in Papette, $4OO to $500 per
metric ton, is less than one-half the
price which such shell commanded in
London four years ago, the quantity
now on that market is about 40O tons.
The low price of shell affects not on
ly the prosperity Of the Tuamotu Is
lands. but also the business Of TAHITI
and, to a less extent, Of other Is
lands. Owing to the continued de-
preston Of the she'll industry the; ex-
port duty Of $28.95 per metric ton
| (2.2O4.6 pounds, was reduced in June,
1906. to $11.5S a ton. A duty Of
S7.72 ton is also levied on all shell
brought to Papeete for shipment
abroad, this being the only port for
such shipment.