KAURIGUM EXPORT

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 60, 8 September 1926, Page 14

KAURIGUM EXPORT

A WEAKENING INDUSTRY

EXTBEMELY UNSATISFACTORY . YEAR. -

■ Kauri gum production during tho past year has not been very satisfactory. In fact,.the .annual, report of the Kauri Gum Superintendent (Mr. H. J. Lowe) states that although a 1 good tonnage of gum has been exported during the year, the exporters can only regard the past year, as ,an, extremely unsatisfactory one. It has-been, so far as the exporter is concerned, a buyers' market, and the. buyers have been' well aware of the fact arid have made the best use of it. The present "slump" through which the trade is passing is considered to be the "worst ever experienced.

.Until the. latter end of tho year the supply of most grades on the open market continually exceeded, or at least equalled, the demand from abroad, but towards, the end., of the year some grades were riot in great supply, and the exporter, at times had to exercise some diplomacy in covering requirements at short notice. With a firm demand during tho winter months several gradings, especially good linoleum chips and.chalk gradings, will be very difficult; to obtain in dry condition and in good lots. * ': . "It would now appear,'' states the report,,'' as though the new lacquers have taken a permanent place in the motpr-car trade, and possibly in other industries. A considerable quantity of fossil resins will therefore be permanently displaced, as the result of the demand for varnishes falling off. How far ;this has affected kauri is difficult to; determine. Although probably the state of-.the export, trade is due to a combination of factors, the apparently increasing use' of lacquers in the motorcar 'industry must have played a very prominent part. " ",So far; as the digger is concerned the,real.difficulty is that in digging in the;kauri,swamps, from which practically ;tho whole of the outpnt is :obtained, the diggers recover "brown and chalk grades as well as chips at the same time, and in varying proportions. So longas the chalk grades are unsaleable at.gum prices and haveito be crushed up and sold with chips at' chip: prices it is impossible for the average digger to earn a living wage at present prices." ■•■'.'■ : ' The total export.during the year was •5495 tons, valued at £414^420, an average of £75 per ton, the lowest for six years. ' '

The gum; reaching-Auckland during the year- comprised. the smallest tonnage since 1921-22. The actual production during the past year, states the report, -must' certainly be considerably smaller. •- Some of the gum received inAuckland ..was dug. in. previous years, whereas a large proportion of the 1921----22 production was held ori'thegumfields for 'better '-"'prices. -The guirifields are gradually-being deserted, the,men nowremaining .being mostly ■ elderly men and;those with large, families who are - unable"'to j get away.': No'doubt ■ a rise in - prices. would . cause a good number to resume but at present the number of- diggers recovering gum is certainly smaller than at any time during the past decade.