C—lC

2

Per Cwt. s. s. Three-quarters scraped, termed "steel" ... ... ... 70 to 85 Ordinary to fair, half-scraped ... ... ... ... 40 ~ 50 Poor ordinary, rough sorts ... ... ... . ... ... 25 ~ 35 Sugary sorts ... ... ... ... ... ... 15 ~ 20 Chips and dust ... ... ... ... ... ... 6,, 12 Washed nuts, swampy white and black ... ... ... ... 10 Mr. R. Hebden, secretary of the Waihopo Branch of the same union, also supplied the following prices of gums dug in Waihopo, together with samples of the various gums referred to : — Per Cwt. ■ s.Best black gum ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 100 Good black gum ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 86 Ordinary black gum ... ... ... ... ... ... 36 Nuts '... ... ... ... ... .. ... ... 16 Mixed Chips .... ... .... ... ... ... ... 10 Chalk gum ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 (4.) The Number of Firms in Auckland and Elsewhere in New Zealand handling Cum. The question as to the number of firms in the Dominion handling kauri-gum is somewhat difficult to answer. However, I think that, taking into account all the firms and businesses, I should put the number down at about fifty. (5.) The Quantities of Kauri-gum sent to England, United States of America, and other Countries, per Annum. It is somewhat difficult to obtain the correct return of the quantity of kauri-gum exported to England in particular, as the figures compiled and placed at my disposal by Mr. H. Edmonds, kauri-gum and general merchant, of Auckland, who supplied the statistics to the Commission of Inquiry into the Kauri-gum Industry, give information not of the quantity sent to the Home market, but of the quantity sent to Europe. However, these figures answer the question for all practical purposes, for the great bulk of the gum included in this return is not sent past the London market. The largest export to Europe was in 1899, when the quantity totalled 5,347 tons. Last year it was only 2,925 tons. This year, so far, the exports have been less than last year, there being (up to and including September) a decrease of about 290 tons as compared with last year. The following are the export figures for the last five years : — Tons. 1903 ... ... ... ... ... ... :.: ... 4,118 1904 ... ... ...' ... ... ... ... ... 3,542 1905 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 4;377 1906 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 3,988 1907 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2,925 There is a possibility of the exports for the remaining months of the year exceeding those of the corresponding months of last year. Last year 5,372 tons was exported to the United States of America, which quantity was a little above the average of the last five years, and more than 600 tons in excess of the exports for the year 1900. This year there is a remarkable falling-off in the exports to the States, the decrease so far being about 2,500 tons. This represents the enormous decrease of 50 per cent. For the last five years the exports have been as follows : — Tons. 1903 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... 5,257 1904 ... ... ... ... ..'. ... ... ... 5,127 1905 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5,743 1906 ... ... ... ... ... ' ... ... ... 4,711 1907 ... ... ... ... ... ... 5,372 A considerable quantity of gum is sent to Germany per annum ; the other importers in their order of magnitude being Canada, France, Austria, and Holland. Small quantities are also exported to the Commonwealth and Fiji Islands. (6.) The Total Quantity of Gum exported per Annum. About 9,000 tons of kauri-gum is annually exported from New Zealand. To Europe and the United States of America over 8,250 tons is sent every year. (7.) The Approximate Value of the Gum exported from New Zealand per Annum. The approximate value of the gum exported per annum is also a difficult question to answer, owing to variations in the prices of this product. But, reckoning the value as being between ,£55 and £60 per ton, a fair estimate would, I should say, be about £475,000 per annum. Note.—lt may be noticed that the figures given above do not exactly coincide with the figures given in. the statistics issued by the Registrar-General; but I have taken my particulars from