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22

(riim-hmring Swamp Lands. —l made careful and exhaustive inquiries into the matter of gum lands belonging to the Government, and have no hesitation in recommending the Government to drain them, as 1 think the experiment would pay handsomely. Private swamp-owners have received as much as £40 per acre for the right to dig in their swamps, the diggers undertaking to thoroughly drain and leave them fit for cultivation. The Executive of the Gum-diggers' Union suggested that had drained swamps it should sell digging rights to diggers in acre sections, or have them balloted for. To my mind this proposal is impracticable, as one man could not work an acre in such manner as to leave it in a satisfactory condition. Considering all the circumstances, I think the Government should undertake the draining of swamps, and when drained these should be cut up and balloted for by parties of legitimate diggers. In the event of the Government undertaking the draining and allowing the lands to go to ballot, diggers are prepared to pay fair prices for rights to work sections, either in the form of export taXj increased license fee per annum, or a royalty on gum procured from the land. Ross-Trevor's Process of extracting Valuable Products from Kauri-swamp Peat. —Mr. Ross-Trevor, of Auckland, cnemist, claims to have discovered a process for extracting valuable products from kauriswamp peats. I think the Government might with advantage detail a competent expert to investigate this matter. J. Graham Gow.

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