GUM LANDS TO BE UTILISED.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 11 February 1914, Page 3

GUM LANDS TO BE UTILISED.

The Directors of the Parenga Gutsfields Co , Ltd., at a meeting held in Wellington on Friday, decided upon a new scheme for gum-digging, which is a complete innovation. It is a complete innovation. It is proposed to set apart a portion of the field for working "on shares," following somewhat on the lines of the custom peculiar to dairying, known as "milking on shares." Aggers will, und«r this system, be engaged by the Company to dig the land completely over on a face, so that instead of being left full of gum holes it will be ready for cultivation after the gum is removed. The men will either be paid full wages for their work, or will receive part in wages and a share of the gum, according- to arrangement Experiments made by the Company on gum land, selected" bs the poorest, have demonstrated that the land can be dug right over and the gum obtained will more than pay the wages of the msn. The laud, atter treatment in this way, will be planted in apples, for which.it is eminently adapted, and this will fit in with the" Company's general scheme for settMffg the Parenga lands. It will not, however, interfere with the ordinary diggers who under their license are free to dig and se.ll their gum where they please. The Company has let a contract for the building of a new accomodation house at Parenga, and have also decided for the greater convenience of the diggers to take over and manage the Parenga Stores can be had at Auckland prices, plus freight The idea is so sane, so practicable, if thoroughly carried out, tbat it is pregnant with possibility. In view of the natural adaptability of the innjor portion of our gum bearing country to fruit-growing, the transformation from barren wastes to smiling orchards is by no moans as remofe as might appear to some. And once the countryside is brought into fruit culture, we shall be able to" say good-bye to the gum industry, valuable as it has been and still is. without a heart-break.

To make the gum contribute to the development of the permanent resources of the land is a logical and busi-ness-like arrangement, wliich ilia Government should hn ye adopted years ago. And its failure to do so was not for the want of telling. With respect to both timbei and gum, the North has suffered irrecoverable loss from a sad lack of sfcitesrnnnship on the part of succeeding Governments. Aud. this we pointed cut over 20 yca-s ago:— 'Bill."