RICH KAURI GUMFIELD DISCOVERED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3718, 17 November 1927, Page 4

RICH KAURI GUMFIELD DISCOVERED.

WORTH £2OOO AN ACRE.

The discovery' of a new kauri gunifield' from which the yield per acre will, according to experts, be as great as that from any gold mine, is reported from Ahipara Hill, Auckland, where the Lands Department recently opened an area of land for the purpose of providing work for unemployed men.

The land was let to gum-diggers in three-acre lots, and Mr. P. Sulenta says that land in adjoining sections to be balloted for will yield gum to the value of £IOOO per half-acre.

The trouble about the place is that there is difficulty in getting an adequate water supply, and another difficulty experienced is that there is no properly defined road or formed road, and diggers have to cross certain Native property when taking machinery on the field. It is the custom for the Natives to levy a toll of varying amounts, but sums of £lO, £ls, and up to £2O have been collected from diggers who have been taking gum-washing machinery on to the' field.

The Government draws a royalty of 10 per cent, on all gum won, and from the yield it will be seen that this means considerable revenue for the State. The Kaitaia Chamber of Commerce has passed a resolution that the Minister of Lands be asked to make arrangements with the Public Works Department to have a road constructed to the field, and also to arrange for a supply of water.