KAURI GUM CLEANING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 746, 20 August 1929, Page 11

KAURI GUM CLEANING

PENROSE PLANT INSPECTED REVIVAL OF INDUSTRY “In 1914 between 6,000 and 7,000 men were employed in the Auckland province- digging gum. Today there was not one-tenth of that number engaged in the industry," said Mr. M. H. Wynyard, chairman of the Kauri Gum Control Board, yesterday afternoon at the gum-cleaning works at Penrose. He explained that the works had been in operation for some time past and. the board had invited a number of those interested in the trade, as well as representative citizens and members of Parliament, to inspect the process adopted for cleaning and standardising swamp gum. Among those present were Messrs. W. J. Jordan, W. Parry and H. G. R. Mason, M.P.’s, the Mayor and councillors of Oneliunga. and a large attendance of Auckland gum merchants. Mr. Wynyard said that the day for field or hill gum had gone, but there was a long life ahead for chip .and swamp gum provided it could command a price sufficient to give a living wage to the digger. The Lands Department had estimated that the gum trade would last for another 100 years, but Mr. Wynyard thought that to be too liberal an estimate. The board realised that to enable the remaining gum to be dug. improved prices must be obtained, otherwise the industry must die out, and in order to increase both demand ‘and price the board had to revive confidence in the manufacturers abroad, firstly, by assuring them of a graded product, and, secondly, of a fairly lengthy life for the industry. Investigations had shown that satisfactory prices were probable for graded chips. This opinion had been considerably strengthened by a report recently obtained from an expert in the varnish and linoleum trade, one whc is thoroughly acquainted with its developments both in England and America, as well as being possessed of an intimate knowledge of the New Zealand gum industry. He was of the opinion that once the low grade gum was standardised, freed from all impurities and graded to the satisfaction of Government graders, similar to the butter and cheese exports, it would command prices equal to those obtained for field gum. “Do the possibilities and the advantages of reviving the kauri gum industry warrant the expenditure of the comparatively small amount of capital necessary to make the attempt?” asked Mr. Wynyard. With the great benefits to all that will attend success, he thought the answer would be that they did. An inspection of the works was then made where the partially washed swamp gum was first tipped into a revolving saturator, whence it was delivered into a large tank containing a strong solution of salt water, which precipitated the impurities. After being thoroughly washed and screened the gum is dried by artificial heat, ■screened and winnowed and finally deposited into hoppers graded automatically into four classes varying from the size of peas to fine flour. The plant is capable of treating live tons a day and the board is prepared to treat any quantity forwarded by diggers.