KAURI-GUM INDUSTRY (REPORT ON THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1938.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1938 Session I, C-12

0.—12,

1938. NEW ZEALAND.

KAURI-GUM INDUSTRY (REPORT ON THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1938.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 5 of the Kauri-gum Industry Amendment Act, 1914.

Sir, — Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, Ist June, 1938. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report under the Kauri-gum Industry Amendment Act, 1914, for the year ended 31st March, 1938. I have, &c., W. Robertson, Under-Secretary. The Hon. Prank Langstone, Minister of Lands.

Production during the last twelve months has been ample to meet current demands and maintain stocks on hand. As far as the better-quality gum suitable for manufacture in the varnish trade is concerned, the market is still stagnant ; consequently production has been mostly of the poorer grades of gum used in the manufacture of linoleum. There appear to be ample supplies of these types of gum for many years to come, and, providing ruling prices are maintained, .production should be ample to meet demands. Prices over the last twelve months have remained firm. Export op Kauri-gum. For the year ended 31st March, 1938, the export amounted to 2,491 tons, of the value of £126,612, an average price of about £51 per ton. The tonnage, value, and average price per ton of the export for the past sixteen years are — Year ended Tonnage . . Average 31st March, exported. el 11 ' per Ton. £ £ 1923 6,080 520,409 85 1924 6,923 640,712 92 1925 5,432 446,019 82 1926 5,495 414,420 75 1927 4,529 301,335 66 1928 4,531 267,559 59 1929 4,566 241,223 53 1930 4,941 264,452 53 1931 3,145 155,602 49 1932 3,164 124,757 39 1933 2,060 57,970 28 1934 3,378 83,945 25 1935 3,412 91,070 27 1936 2,669 75,802 28 1937 3,613 119,649 33 1938 2,491 126,612 51

C.—l2.

Details of the yearly export, and the country to which exported, from 1926 to 1938 are given below :—

Particulars of Kauri-gum exported from New Zealand from 1st April, 1926, to 31st March, 1938, inclusive.

Production during the Year. Tie kauri-gum received at Auckland from the gumfields for the past eight years is shown, month by month, in the following table : —

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (580 copies), £3 10s.

By Authority : E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington.—l93B.

Price 3d.\

2

Country to 1st April, 1926, to 1st April, 1927, to 1st April, 1928, to 1st April, 1929, to 1st April, 1930, to 1st April, 1931, to which exported. 31st March, 1927. 31st March, 1928. 31st March, 1929. 31st March, 1930. 31st March, 1931. 31st March, 1932. Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ United States of 1,863 136,397 2,087 120,349 2,337 139,672 1,967 127,723 823 46,510 681 33,082 America United Kingdom 2,036 133,032 2,043 127,401 1,504 77,479 2,425 117,677 1,957 96,679 1,968 71,572 Germany .. 127 5,432 119 6,613 234 7,949 100 2,646 62 1,508 52 6,725 Canada' .. 144 7,181 165 6,329 208 7,448 202 7,169- 127 4,726 173 4,156 Australia .. 15 911 33 1,448 8 408 106 3,908 37 1,423 65 1,862 Belgium .. 114 4,563 .. .. 60 1,094 30 635 43 975 69 1,154 France .. 89 6,980 60 3,915 150 5,206 89 3,764 71 2,701 94 4,173 Switzerland Netherlands .. 34 1,950 3 483 29 1,068 2 285 4 218 .. Sweden .. 46 1,929 1 132 10 282 32 837 Italv .. .. 51 2,469 .. .. 10 127 .. Japan .. 10 476 20 843 26 772 20 645 11 580 30 1,196 Hong Kong China .. .. .. 15 25 South African .. .. .. 21 Union 1 Totals .. 4,529 301,335 4,531 267,559 4,566 241,223 4,941 264,452 3,145 155,602 3,164 124,757 Country to 1st April, 1932, to 1st April, 1933, to 1st April, 1934, to 1st April, 1935, to 1st April, 1936, to 1st April, 1937, to which exported. 31st March, 1933. 31st March, 1934. 31st March, 1935. ; 31st, March, 1936. 31st March, 1937. 31st March, 1938. __! Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ United States of 268 11,208 875 30,174 394 20,602 553 24,488 478 28,844 548 38,010 -A.m6ri.CcL United Kingdom 1,298 36,150 1,730 37,218 2,267 54,365 1,570 39,181 2,200 62,963 1,486 65,921 Germany .. 70 1,104 325 5,093 251 4,986 41 769 78 2,241 37 1,910 Canada .. 169 3,157 94 2,530 114 2,623 62 1,689 263 8,228 205 9,988 Australia .. 91 2,251 120 3,355 150 3,588 171 3,058 311 7,575 27 1,238 Belgium .. 15 230 11 208 .. .. 42 889 21 618 13 837 France .. 83 2,452 143 3,642 116 2,768 122 3,193 144 5,584 47 2,639 Switzerland .. .. .. • . • • • • • • • ■ •. 20 512 Netherlands .... .. .. .. 3 90 11 262 37 943 21 1,021 Sweden .. 11 218 20 461 .. .. 57 ],043 16 560 61 2,247 Italy .. .. 31 555 28 494 75 825 4 245 Japan .. 24 645 32 744 42 1,223 36 985 45 1,581 46 2,801 Hong Kong .. .. .. .. 26 .. .. .. .. .. China South African Union Totals .. 2,060 57,970 3,378 83,945 3,412 91,070 2,669 75,802 3,613 119,649 2,491 126,612

1930-31. 1931-32. 1932-33. 1933-34. 1934-35. 1935-36. 1936-37. 1937-38. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. April .. .. 441 309 405 240 202 221 346 305 May .. .. ..374 394 245 161 224 211 229 249 June .. .. .. 247 263 144 238 148 164 107 350 July .. .. ..309 244 153 162 150 258 139 368 August .. .. 194 251 43 150 193 172 181 162 September .. ..214 208 128 219 201 134 142 164 October .. .. 328 192 176 320 307 220 154 252 November .. .. 317 276 182 326 243 260 501 74 December .. .. 277 172 188 209 268 190 29] 127 January .. ..158 194 167 165 312 182 160 136 February .. .. 281 277 213 325 274 220 265 86 March .. ..386 224 185 289 336 160 233 200 Totals .. 3,526 3,004 2,229 2,804 2,858 2,392 2,748 2,473 Kaxjei-gum Industry Account. The assets of the Kauri-gum Industry Account have been realized, and the account has been abolished by statute.