LEASING OF GUM-FIELDS IN AUCKLAND (PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1884 Session I, C-04

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1884. NEW ZEALAND,

LEASING OF GUM-FIELDS IN AUCKLAND (PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE).

Laid on the Table by the Hon. Mr. Bolleston, with leave of the House.

BESOLUTIONS OP THE AUCKLAND LAND BOAED AS TO LEASING GUM-FIELDS, AND EEPOET BY MESSRS. TOLE AND SMITH ON THE SUBJECT.

The Chaieman, Auckland Land Board, to the Undee-Seceetaey for Ceown Lands, Wellington. (Memorandum No. 910.) Sic, — Crown Lands Office, Auckland, 7th June, 1884. I have the honour, at the instance of the Land Board, to forward, for the urgent consideration of the Hon. the Minister of Lands, the accompanying copies of two resolutions passed at recent meetings of the Land Board on the question of leasing gum-fields in this district; also, copy of a report on the same subject by the Commissioner of Crown Lands and the Assistant SurveyorGeneral, and I am to respectfully request that immediate action be taken in the direction of giving effect to the recommendation therein contained. D. A. Tole, Chairman, Auckland Land Board. The Under-Secretary for Crown Lands, Wellington.

Bxteact from Minutes of Meeting of Land Boaed. Besolved, " That the Commissioner of Crown Lands and the Assistant Surveyor-General be requested to communicate their opinion to this Board as to the probable effect on the kauri-gum industry should this Board not be able to grant gum-digging leases for areas beyond two hundred acres. " As this Board cannot, according to existing law, lease an area beyond two hundred acres, it is highly necessary that application be made to Government to amend existing Act so as to extend the area, should the report now asked for recommend such extension." D. A. Tole, Commissioner, Crown Lands.

Extbact from Minutes of Meeting of Land Boaed. Besolved, " That the report of the Commissioner of Crown Lands and Assistant SurveyorGeneral, now brought up, be forthwith forwarded to the Minister of Lands, with an urgent request that immediate action be taken to carry out the recommendation therein contained, in order that the kauri-gum industry may be placed on a basis which will secure its continuance in due legal form. Furthermore, that the Government take such action as may be necessary to indemnify against all legal proceedings the lessors and lessees of the various gum-fields, including and since date of first gum-field lease granted by the Superintendent of Auckland in June, 1876." D. A. Tole, Commissioner of Crown Lands.

Messrs. D. A. Tole and S. Peecy Smith to the Auckland Land Boaed. Be Gum-fields. Gentlemen,— Crown Lands Office, Auckland, 6th June, 1884. We have the honour, in reference to the resolution of your Board, directed to us on the above subject, to report, for your information, that the probable effect on the kauri-gum industry of granting gum-digging leases for areas of eighty acres, or even for two hundred acres (as, in the exercise of a discretionary power, may be granted), would, in our opinion, be highly injurious, whilst en the ground of impracticability any attempt to so deal with lands of this character would, we are convinced, be simply futile and inoperative, and for the following reasons :—. 1. That in dealing with areas of this extent it is obvious that their boundaries would require to be defined on the ground, and carefully-selected roads to them provided, otherwise the annoyance

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and litigation usually resulting from uncertainty of boundaries and rights of ingress and egress would unquestionably arise. Moreover these preparatory proceedings as to denning boundaries and providing road-accommodation would, it is believed, have to be repeated on every future occasion of similarly dealing with those areas. 2. That the cost of laying-out such roads and areas would in itself be absolutely prohibitory, inasmuch as the survey of a section of two hundred acres, at the present survey rates, would amount to £20, a sum very far exceeding that which, under the most favourable circumstances, could be obtained for the lease of the land. And this consideration has apparently hitherto operated in the direction of submitting to the public areas coterminous e with blocks already surveyed. 3. That the Survey Department would not, on the bare assumption that a large tract of land was purely kauri-gum-bearing, feel justified iri'ineurring a large and probable wasteful expenditure of money in subdividing into sections land Vvhich>on subsequent explorations might prove to contain gum in such small and widely-scattered quantities as to render many of the sections unmarketable, and others liable soon after lease to be abandoned without further payment of rent. It is a wellknown fact that as a rule all kauri-gum land is unfit for profitable cultivation. 4. Experience of the pecuniary resources of persons carrying on the actual avocation of gumdigging leads us to believe that they would not be able to pay on leasing the cost of survey and proportionate rent obviously payable in the first instance, and the effect of such a demand would practically be to exclude such persons from becoming the possessors of those lands under license. 5. That, prior to the constitution of the Land Board, namely, in the month of June, 1876, during the provincial administration of Sir George Grey, it is found that nearly twenty thousand acres wore, in one block, let at a premium or foregift for gum-digging purposes. This seems to be the first instance of leasing gum-fields, and we have no doubt that the practice was inaugurated after mature deliberation and with a due regard to the interests both of those connected with the industry and the public at large. Speaking generally, for the foregoing reasons, and also after fully considering the question, we think that the probable effect on the kauri-gum industry of leasing small areas, to which the present powers of the Board are limited, would (if the law were strictly adhered to) be probably to destroy the industry altogether. Therefore, to meet the due scope of this trade, which, unlike most other industries, essentially involves, we believe, the element of large areas, we beg to recommend that the Board should, in this direction, obtain extended powers by legislative enactment. We have, &c, D. A. Tole, Commissioner, Crown Lands. S. Peecy Smith, The Auckland Board. Assistant Surveyor-General.

COEEESPONDBNCE RELATING TO THE LEASING OP HUKEBENUI BLOCK, IN AUCKLAND, AS A GUM-FIELD.

Mr. Reader Wood to the Hon. the Colonial Secbetaey, Wellington. Sir,— Superintendent's Office, Auckland, 21st March, 1876. In conformity to section 86 of " The Auckland Waste Lands Act, 1874," I have the honour to request that the approval of the Governor in Council may be obtained to the proposed terms and conditions for leasing the Hukerenui Block, in the Bay of Islands district, set forth in the accompanying report from the Commissioner of Crown Lands. I have, &c, Reader Wood (for the Superintendent). The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington.

The Commissioner of Crown Lands to His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland. Slß,— Crown Lands Office, Auckland, 20th March, 1876. I have the honour to request that the approval of His Excellency the Governor in Council may, in conformity with section 36 of "The Auckland Waste Lands Act, 1874," be obtained in respect of the following terms and conditions under which it is proposed to lease the Hukerenui Block, Bay of Islands District, the same being a purchase under "The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1873." I may observe that the block in question has been ascertained by inspection to be third-class land, and that, as such, it is competent to be dealt with in the manner provided by the section of the Act above quoted. Proposed terms and conditions : To lease, either by public auction or by public tender, for a period of two years, at a premium or foregift, the right to dig for and remove kauri gum on and from the Hukerenui Block, situate in the Bay of Islands district, and containing (by recent admeasurement) 19,500 acres. I have, &c, D. A. Tole, Commissioner of Crown Lands. His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland.

Forward copy to Colonial Secretary with recommendations as suggested by Mr. Tole,—E. W. Accordingly, 21/3/26. Bk. 84, f. 10,

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Approval of Conditions on which certain Eights in Land acquired under " The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1873," known as the Hukerenui Block, situated in the Bay of Islands District, are to be leased. NORMANBY. OEDEE IN COUNCIL. At Auckland, this twenty-seventh day of April, 1876. His Excellency the Governor Present in Council. In pursuance and exercise of the powers and authorities vested in me by the thirty-sixth section of " The Auckland Waste Lands Act, 1874," I, George Augustus Constantine, Marquis of Normanby the Governor of the Colony of New Zealand, by and with the consent and advice of the Executive Council of the said colony, do hereby approve of the right to dig for and remove kauri gum for a period of two years, at a premium or foregift, on and from the Hukerenui Block, situate in the Bay of Islands district, and containing by recent admeasurement nineteen thousand five hundred acres, being leased either by public auction or public tender. Forster Goring, Clerk of Executive Council.

Mr. C. C. Bowen to His Honour the Superintendent, Auckland. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, sth May, 1876. Adverting to your letter of the 21st March last, No. 663, I have the honour to enclose, for your information, a copy of the New Zealand Gazette of yesterday's date, which contains an order, under the hand of His Excellency the Governor in Council, approving the conditions on which certain rights in lands acquired under "-The Immigration and Public Works Act, 1873," known as the Hukerenui Block, and situated in the Bay of Islands district, are to be leased. I have, &c, Chaeles C. Bowen, His Honour the Superintendent, Auckland. (in the absence of the Colonial Secretary.) Eeferred to Mr. Tole. Perused and noted.—D. A. Tole. 15th May, 1876. Tenders called for leasing block for gum-digging, Gazette, No. 21, 19th May, 1876. Accepted tender published in Gazette, No. 25, 17th June, 1876.

Public Notification. [Submitted for the Signature of His Honour the Superintendent.—D. A. Tolb. 7th May, 1876.] Superintendent's Office, Auckland, 9th May, 1876. Tendees in writing will be received at the Waste Lands Office, Auckland, until 12 o'clock noon on Monday, the 12th day of June next, for the right to dig for and remove kauri gum for a period of two years, at a premium or foregift, on and from the the Hukerenui Block, situated in the Bay of Islands district, and containing by admeasurement 19,500 acres. The highest or any tender not necessarily accepted. Tenders to be addressed, " Waste Lands Commissioner, Auckland, Tender for Kauri Gum, Hukerenui Block." Superintendent, D. A. Tolb, Waste Lands Commissioner.

Public Notification. Crown Lands Office, Auckland, 13th June, 1876. The following tender for the exclusive light to dig for and remove kauri gum, for a period of two years, from the Hukerenui Block, situate in the Bay of Islands District, and containing by admeasurement 19,500 acres, is published for general information. D. A. Tolb, Commissioner of Crown Lands. Accepted tender—Messrs. Walker and Co., £257. Other tender received—Messrs. McLeod and Goodhue.

Authority: Geoege Didsbuby, GroTernnient Printer, Wellington.—lBB4,