Valuable Piece of Gum.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 24 December 1913, Page 2

Valuable Piece of Gum.

A piace of gum of the record weight of 241 lbs was on exhibition at the Auckland Show. The owner, Mr Bodle, intends to proceed to England to exhibit a kauri gum collection, of which the record "nugget" will form the principal part at the Colonial Exhibition, Crystal Palace, early in. the new year. Late on the exhibit (estinv* ated to be worth £500) will betaken to the San Francisco Exhibition.

The finding of the big specimen came about in a somewhat remarkable way, says the Dargaville Times. An old digger, who, by the way, is said to average an income of £1 per day. decided to try his luck on a piece of gum land near Helensville which was supposed to haye been worked out. It is a belief amoug the diggers that gum does not exist below sandstone. There was a sis-foot hole on the field, with a sand stone bottom, but the digger in question noticed that it was somewhat broken, and so he sank further. At a depth of twelve f9et he unearthed the 241 lb prize, and m all removed 7 cwt of gum from the hole— quite a valuable find at about 2s perlb. The largest pieces were purchased by Mr Bodle, near whose residence the discovery was made.