A RAGE FOR GREENSTONE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 5219, 8 March 1904, Page 3

A RAGE FOR GREENSTONE.

CONTINENTAL BUYERS IN NEW ZEALAND. •- One lias only to walk the main streets of Wellington to determine the favenrito colour prevailing. There is no nunfaking it —it is green, vivid, uncompromising “ Paddy ” green, that lias caught, the ladies’ fancy. The forerunner of this fashion at Home is said to have been the oraze set for (greenstone by the Duchess of York after her visit to New Zealand in 1901. The fashion then spread to the Continent, until at the present time greenstone of docent quality is a valuable commodity, and a source of considerable revenue. From Groymonth last week there wa:S exported to tho order of Continental linns four tons of greenstone in the rough. Sir 11. W. Lloyd, of Lambton quay, is much interested in this business. At the present time lie has two. tons of rough greenstone, in his shop, which lie intends to ship to Amsterdam to bo out into ornaments, trinkets and jewellery designs. _ Speaking to a ■'Times” reporter, Air Lloyd stated that tho pile of rough groy-green stone lying on tho floor cf his shop represented about two years’ purchases on tho West Coast of the South Island by himself and the manager of his Greymouith business—a specialist in greenstone. There wore about two tons, which Air Lloyd values in its present state at about £1101). Tho price paid' for the stone varied from Is to 5s per pound on tho spot, according to quality. There is any quantity of inferior stono to be purolwisod at a cheaper rate, bub Mr Lloyd says it is not worth handling. For every piece or boulder of greenstone purchased about a ton was refused as unfit for use. One piooo in tlio- pile was tho fc-1 low-half to a slab presented to Lady llaufurly ty the West Coast people prior to her departure from the colony—it was first-rate stone, and almost flawless. Air Lloyd slated that it was cheaper to send the stono to Amsterdam to bo cut. and then pay duty on its being returned in a manufactured state than to have it worked in tho colony.