GUM FANDS COMMISSION

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 5 June 1914, Page 4

GUM FANDS COMMISSION

HITHERTO we have had little faith in Royal Commissions, as generally they have, after costing a mint of money which went into the pockets of the favoured few, brought forth a very Lilliputian mouse, but the jGum Lands Commission appears to be 'of another stamp, destined to do much good for the industry and settlement of land which has been unremunerative and locked-up for years. Besides discovering many thousands of- acres in the Northern Counties which have been denuded of gum and, therefore, lying idle, at Mangonui last month important evidence was adduced that a royalty of £8 per acre was paid for gum rights- on a considerable area adjoining the Government reserve. Reference was made by witnesses to the amount of land locked up and not properly utilised by some farmers. It was stated that for the last quarter of a century three farmers had held 1,800 acres, on the whole of which not more than 50 head of cattle and sheep were running. The explanation given was that the owners of the land let it on royalty to diggers, while they spent their time on the Government

reserve,