Story: Taranaki region

Chew Chong, entrepreneur (2nd of 3)

Chew Chong, entrepreneur

The businessman Chew Chong dominated the Taranaki wood-ear fungus industry. The cash he paid for the fungus supported many dairy farmers as they struggled to establish their farms in the 1870s and 1880s. Fungus gathering survived in Taranaki well into the 20th century, often undertaken by farm children to earn pocket money.

Using this item

National Library of New Zealand, Papers Past
Reference: Taranaki Herald, 7 January 1874, p. 1

Permission of the National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Ron Lambert, 'Taranaki region - Farming', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/25337/chew-chong-entrepreneur (accessed 25 April 2024)

Story by Ron Lambert, updated 1 Aug 2015