KAURI GUM.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 June 1922, Page 1

KAURI GUM.

FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY.

Something like a mountain of kauri gnm has already been taken out of the primeval forest lands of the Auckland Province. The industry began as far hack as 1847, and the production of fossil resin up to the end of last year totals nearly 370,000 tons, valued, in round figures, at £20,000,000. It has always been a chequered industry with a very haphazard system of development. Too often, in addl- - the methods employed for the extraction of the so-called gum have been practised with a reckless indifference to the future of the kauri timber reserves and gum lands. Though the industry has always been looked upon as a vanishing enterprise, it is not likely to disappear into the mists of history for a long time yet. The most optimistic gum-diggers on the Northern fields, to say nothing of the more enthusiastic owners of resin-bearing lands assert boldly that at least three times twenty million pounds sterling worth has still to be recovered. METHODS AND CONTROL. The future of t]ie industry was the subject of investigation last year by a Royal Cummission. Its findings and recommendations emphasised the need of 'improved methods of extraction, more efficient means for separating the gum from foreign matter, protection of forest reserves and lands suitable fo r settlement, and a uniform system of grading and control. These “necessities admittedly constitute a difficult problem. That in itself need not deter the' practice of more efficient enterprice. The commission found that conditions are worth a determined organised effort to place the industry in a position more profitable than it has ever been for all the interests concerned. The average export per annum for the last ten years has been 5380 tons, and the average value £63 per ton. In regard to grading, the Commission held the opinion that a standardsystem is not only highly desirable, hut easily practicable. It recommended grading for export under the supervision of a. Government grader, but | suggested that at present there should j he no interference with the particular | grades put up by merchants for ox- j port, 'flic corn mission also recom- j mended that the State should not monopolise the export of kauri gum. Tt is interesting to note that in the important matter of improving the methods of extracting the gum and preparing il for export the commission recommended that the Government j should set aside not less than £SOOO for j tile payment of bonuses for improvement and inventions in connexion with the kauri gum industry. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. j "As to the advisability of establishing I ft laboratory for research in respect to 1 kauri peat, the commission urged the ! immediate establishment of first, n spec-i ini research laboratory connected with I the kauri gum department, secondly, ] a research branch of the Dominion laborajtory in Auckland : and thirdly, by j utilising tlio existing facilities at the | Auckland University College. “Wo j arc strongSy of opinion,” declared ! the commission, “that the laboratory ! researches should he carried out ill Auckland, and for preference at the University College, where laboratory facilities for such research already exist. Much of the essential reference literature is ill the college library, and \ the direction and co-operations of the staff would he available.” The commission recommended further that a sum of £IOOO a year should he made available for research purposes on a laboratory scale, and that later the amount should he increased to meet the cost of semi-industrial experiments arising from the laboratory experiments. The way to efficient enterprise in respeet of a profitable development of not only the kauri gum industry itself, hut also the lands from which gum lias been extracted, lias been opened, hut so far. responsible administrators have been laggard in taking it (says the Auckland “Herald”). The report was favourably received by Parliament last November and many hopeful opinions expressed hut practical action has not yet been taken. Now that the economi.- tide has turned, the progressive, spirit of the Auckland Province should not lose sight of the necessity for improving the condition of the kauri gum industry.