71

C— l 2.

J. STALLWOBTHY.J

tested by systematic digging. In some of the larger reserves made up of gum-bearing and non-gum-bearing portions it would be difficult to cut out the non-gum-bearing parts for settlement in a satisfactory manner and at the same time not to interfere with the portions in which there was still gum in payable quantities. Before any part was freed from reservation for settlement the ground should be tested in a practical manner, because it would be wrong to throw away the wealth in the land even for the sake of agriculture, which could always be fostered after the gum had been removed. George Lendrum, Farmer, of Tatarariki. 7 T o Mr. Greville.] He w r as the holder of Sections 3, 4, 35, 57, and 58—about 700 acres—which he farmed principally with sheep, carrying at the present time five hundred head. He knew the gum reserves adjoining his farm very well. The hill country was gum-bearing land and the balance good flats. There was no one camped on those particular reserves at the present time, but in the summer months a casual digger, but never more than three or four men at one time, could be seen on the field. He knew the Tatarariki Reserve, and had often travelled over it, and had dug there formerly himself. He had seen a few Austrians on it, and also a few men working in the swamp. For the past ten }'ears there had been very little digging on the reserve —most of it being on the Crown land in the vicinity—and he could say that the settlers did not go out on the field in slack times. In regard to the swamp in the Tatarariki Reserve, he considered it required draining. It could be crossed on foot in a dry summer. Diggers had often hooked in the swamp and had told him there was no gum in it. He considered that the swamp if drained would be worth, say, £20 per acre. In its present state the value would be from £5 to £6 per acre, and the hilly portion of the reserve would be worth from. £1 to £1 10s. per acre. The land would make good farms if brought into cultivation, and in the interests of the State it should he thrown open for settlement. He had held his own land about eight years, and at one. time was under the impression that it was gum-bearing. Four Austrians had agreed to pay a royalty of 2s (id. per head per week for the digging rights over it, but, after turning the place upside down,- left it, telling him there was not gum there to pay them. There had been gum in the gullies in the reserve, but. there was not enough left to make digging payable now, and he considered any remaining gum would only be sufficient to assist the selector of the land to put up fences. As representing the Tatarariki Farmers' Union he would like to see the reserves opened for settlement, and thought the reserves could be converted into farms. The opening of the land would lie in the interests of the district generally. The Farmers' Union had held a meeting at Tatarariki on the subject about three weeks ago, when fifteen or sixteen were present, mostly farmers on the Tatarariki flats. He considered the undulating portions of the reserves if opened should not be too small in area —probably 150 acres or thereabouts would meet the case. Personally he did not wish to see large holdings in the district. John Hawthorn McCarroll, Farmer, of Aratapu. To Mr. Greville.] He had lived for ten years in Aratapu, where he owned 40 acres. He also owned land at Matakohe, and about 1,200 acres at Kaikohe, carrying six hundred head of sheep and one hundred and twenty head of cattle. He had been all over the gum reserves in the Aratapu district and knew them very well. He regarded the shallow - ground as practically exhausted rigid through, but the swamp land would not be exhausted in his time by the methods of digging pursued at the present time. He knew- a man at Tatarariki working on a swamp and making £1 per day, and again lie knew shallow fields in the east and west coasts where men were barely making a living. He had done no digging for sixteen or seventeen years, and the price of gum was 100 per cent, better now than when he dug. This did not, however, apply to the digging on shallow ground. He considered the quality of the hilly hind would be equal to a sheep or a sheep and a. half to the acre when brought in. To Mr. Stafford.] He had never dtig on the Tikinui Reserve. He favoured retaining the swamps for gum-digging and opening up the hilly portions for settlement. To Mr. Greville.] The shallow- fields were exhausted from the point of view of a practical man, and should be turned to some use for agriculture. He would not regard land as gumbearing because it contained traces of gum. If there was gum in it in payable quantities the diggers would be there in crowds. James Kidd, Farmer, of Tatarariki. To Mr. Greville.] He had a dairy farm of 600 acres on which he grazed 250 head of stock. and had resided in the district for twenty years. He agreed generally with Mr. Lendrum's evidence, and with reference to the sections upon the swamp thought the Crown ought to continue the present outlet drain and afteryvards load the land with the cost. James Cochrane, Gum-digger, of Red Hill. To Mr. Greville.] He was a resident of Red Hill, and had been a gum-digger for twenty-six years, and was at present digging on his own land—so acres, part of Section 56. He had'held (he land nine years, and had made a garden and put a small part of the section in grass. He had dug on the Crown land, and made on the average ss. per day working wet or dry' He regarded himself as a fair average of the diggers in the locality, and knew of other men whose earnings were less than ss. per day. He could instance two men younger than himself who did not clear more than Is. 7d. per day after paying for stores. He had discussed the subject of wages with other diggers, and was aware that the ruling rate for a labourer was 10s per day