KAURI GUM

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 244, 5 January 1928, Page 11

KAURI GUM

DECLINE IN PRICES The state of the kauri gum industry is not encouraging, and the figures for the year just closed reveal that there was a drop in production as well as a decline in price for this commodity. Substitutes for kauri gum, marketed at a low price and fulfilling the requirements of the market, are blamed for the stagnant condition of the trade. Throughout the year the demand for the gum was only moderate, and superior grades were not sought by overseas countries as they hitherto had been, buying being very spasmodic throughout. A decline in prices has not affected the demand, and dealers in kauri, gum are not hopeful of an early revival., Ther' presence of copal, or Congo gum has made the way of the kauri gum dealer more difficult. The gum received into store at Auckland during the year totalled 3,820 tons, while in 1926 it was 4,250 tons, and in 1925 5,069 tons. Four years ago, in 1923, supplies reached 6,502 tons. During December 284 tons were received, as. compared with 325 tons in the corresponding month of 1926. However, the total for November, 1927, exceeded that for the same month of 1926 by 159 tons. The supplies received in the individual months of the year are given below: January, 265 tons, February 198, March 441, April 317, May 277, June 359, July 230, August 241, September 323, October 385, November 500 and December 284.