DIVING FOR KAURI GUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 17

DIVING FOR KAURI GUM.

(FftOlf OVS. OWH COHBESPONDENT.) AUCKLAND 4 September 9. Some interesting information ia furnished by Messrs wyatt and K-err, " -who are engaged in winning kauri gum from i the bed of Lake Tahai-oa, near to Maunga- ; nui Bluff. The enterprising _ prosecutors of the work carry on operations from a ' 12ft by 12ft raft, built on barrete, and are equipped vfith one of the diving costumes used in recovering the Blingamite - gold. The depth of the lake in its deepest part ia 42ft, and so far eatisfactory re- ' turns have rewarded the unique method , adopted to win the resin. M* Wyatt refiorts that a wonderful .wealth of .timber ies submerged, and that barrels of huge kauris lie prone on the bed of the laka bearing a perfect similitude to trees felled and found on shore. The lake floor is formed of a species of pukahu, similar to that found in kauri forests, and termed* "brakau" by bushmen. On the barrels and in the branches of the trees the gum has remained as resin. The giants stood erect in the pristine forest, aud quantities of leaves brought to the surface show a surprising state of preservation. When secured they are of that peculiar ruseet colour seen on young growing kauris, but exposure to the air renders them dark and soft. Mito berries are plentiful, and also the leaves of the tiunataburn, a tree which grows very much like the tanakaha, bat' which is not now found in the district. It is, hovrcver, plentiful in Hokianga kauri forests. M-essrs Wyatt and KeTr intend i to pay special attention to all the submerged vegetation they encounter, and as it i& safe to assume that the trees have 1 remained in their present location for centuries, some interesting scientific finds maw be brought to light. As viewed at the depth of 40ft the appearance of the kauris ia perfectly^ natural, and some specimens of the bark, encrusted witn gam leaves, ajsd» timber will be forwarded to the Auckland! Museum. Sir Kerr describes the lake bed as being a beautiful garden, one lovely growth attaining a height of 4ft. He re«c ports the trout, placed in the lake by thflf . Hobson Acclimatisation Society, as being numeious and vigorous. It may be stateo that none of the timber shows any ravages of fire, which in a measure dissipates tha theory that the ancient kauri forests onf that region were devastated by igneous action.

At a recent sale of wild animals in Glasgow, a "boxing" kangaroo fetched £H 10s, and a laughing hyena £29 Ba. Sly grog-aelling ia public streets of Wellington is said to -be the lat«if( • thing in the way- oi infraction of thg' licensing laws. It is reported that twd( men weoe caught conducting tooh traffic on Sunday, and that supplies o f liqnoq were found in their houses. It k altjD stated that this .practice has been going on for soma- time, and that the principals nave had canvatsers *t wci-k aoout the streete. More will lie beard 61 tbe matter (BaJB the Post) in tb* Magjatnte/a Courfe