Page 1 The California ""- Geographer Annual Publication of the ...
Page 1 The California ""- Geographer Annual Publication of the ...
Page 1 The California ""- Geographer Annual Publication of the ...
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<strong>The</strong> most numerous concerns are those producing pastry products, <strong>of</strong><br />
which <strong>the</strong>re are 273, and bread, numbering 119 (<strong>the</strong>re is much duplication<br />
involved here); and women's clothing and men's clothing, 134 and 67 respectively,<br />
also involving duplication. <strong>The</strong>re are 48 furniture manufacturers,<br />
26 vanilla dryers, 18 mattress manufacturers, 18 producing sausage<br />
and related products, 17 making soap; 14 shoe repair and sandal manufacturing<br />
concerns, and 14 tinsmiths who make such products as ro<strong>of</strong> drains,<br />
vents, sprinklers, and vanilla boxes.<br />
Eight concerns bottle s<strong>of</strong>t drinks, seven produce tobacco, six make<br />
candy and six produce cooking oil. <strong>The</strong>re are five boat builders, five<br />
printers (in addition to <strong>the</strong> Government Printing Office), five producing<br />
picture postcards, and five blacksmiths whose output includes stoves,<br />
wagon wheels, rims, coconut graters, fishing spears, and goggle frames:<br />
Four concerns make saddles, harness, and belts; four produce torteaux,<br />
<strong>the</strong> coconut meal cake for cattle feed. <strong>The</strong>re are three tanneries, three<br />
firms that make cement blocks, and three making curios, largely <strong>of</strong> pearl<br />
shell. <strong>The</strong>re are two c<strong>of</strong>fee roasters, two sawmills, and two firms each are<br />
engaged in <strong>the</strong> production <strong>of</strong> ice, jewelry, cheese, coconut fiber, bleaches,<br />
and phonograph records.<br />
Pottery, rum, bottled grapefruit juice, baskets <strong>of</strong> rattan and bamboo,<br />
and vanilla crates <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> local purau wood are produced by one firm each.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is one meat packer, one brewery, and one electric power plant.<br />
Public Works makes large concrete drain pipe and culvert sections,<br />
and since it has <strong>the</strong> only large metal cutting machinery on <strong>the</strong> island, does<br />
some contract work for o<strong>the</strong>rs.<br />
Not licensed, and hence not included in <strong>the</strong> count, are "family manufactures"<br />
made in <strong>the</strong> home even though for sale in <strong>the</strong> market, on <strong>the</strong><br />
street, or to retailers. Among such products are grated coconut, poi, guava<br />
jelly, dried fish and o<strong>the</strong>r prepared foodstuffs sold in <strong>the</strong> Papeete market,<br />
coconut husk rope, coconut fiber or leaf brooms, and mats, hats, and baskets<br />
<strong>of</strong> coconut or pandanus leaf. Three unlisted items, charcoal, coral lime<br />
for construction and whitewash, and pandanus leaf sections, are produced<br />
iri large volume.<br />
Additional industries which have been tried in <strong>the</strong> past but which<br />
failed, largely because <strong>of</strong> undependable raw material supply, include <strong>the</strong><br />
canning <strong>of</strong> tuna, pineapple, and papaya; <strong>the</strong> production <strong>of</strong> perfume from<br />
<strong>the</strong> native gardenia, <strong>the</strong> tiare Tahiti; and cane sugar refining. An attempt<br />
was made to make bleach from sea water, but <strong>the</strong> product was inferior and<br />
<strong>the</strong> venture failed.<br />
LocATION FAcToRs<br />
. <strong>The</strong> characteristics <strong>of</strong> Tahiti's manufacturing are disclosed by a consideration<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> principal factors <strong>of</strong> industrial location: raw materials,<br />
power and fuel, labor, and market.<br />
Examination <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> list <strong>of</strong> products reveals heavy dependence on imported<br />
but easily shipped materials. Among <strong>the</strong>m are wheat flour from<br />
France; cotton textiles from France, United States, and Hong Kong; hops<br />
from Germany and malt from France; refined sugar from Holland; chemicals<br />
for soap, bleaches, and carbonated drinks from France ai1d United<br />
20