KAURI GUM CONTROL BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 230, 28 September 1928, Page 6

KAURI GUM CONTROL BOARD.

"UNNECESSARY AND FUTILE."

(To the Editor.)

Your article in the issue of the 13th inst. re the above board was most interesting and enlightening. This Control Board, which was originally asked for by a small percentage of the diggers, has not been of the slightest use to them, and had the digger been given a clear explanation of the machinery of the board he would not have supported it at all. When the bill was before the House it was passed apparently as a political measure and no discussion took place on it. The only ones who spoke, if my memory is correct, were the Hon. J. A. Young, Mr. J. R. C'orrigan and Mr. Allen Bell, with perhaps one other southern member. The bill appeared to be only a move to catch votes at the last elections, and lack of knowledge of the industry on the part of members of the House precluded any discussion, so that those most concerned had no idea of the objects and machinery for obtaining the objects of the bill, or what the load was that was to be placed on the digger's back. He has now found to his sorrow that he has only been saddled with an extra and less efficient "broker" than he had before, for all the board has done to date is to act in that capacity between the producer and the merchants. In the past these merchants sent their buyers out to the gum fields and purchased direct from the digger. This meant competitive buying, which was to the advantage of the digger, as he was able to drive his own bargain and also had no further expense such as freight, cartage, storage, etc., these being borne by the merchants. Now he consigns his gum to the Control Board in Auckland, and pays the freight, cartage, storage expenses, which means an outlay of capital which he cannot afford. It is received in Auckland by people who have scant knowledge of gum, no interest in laying it out to the best advantage to sell, or in driving a hard bargain with the merchants. So the ultimate return to the producers is less than before, the board's -levy of three-quarters per cent having been deducted. One of the professed objects of the board was to find fresh markets for kauri gum, but though they hare been in operation for two years the only market they have found is the Auckland merchant, who has been known to the digger for the past decade. There are only a limited number of users of kauri gum in the world and the board cannot find any others. Thev do not exist; The merchants are supplying the markets and the board is unnecessary and futile. Over fifty per cent of the producers of to-day are operating on privately-owned land and in consequence are debarred from representation on the board. Only licensed diggers, i.e., those working Government land, have a vote, and as there were only 360 odd votes polled at the election for diggers' representatives it is very evident that only a minority is represented. The Government is sadly lacking in its duty towards primary industry if it permits the board to continue its functioning. GUM DIGGER.