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1930. NEW ZEALAND.

KAURI-GUM INDUSTRY (REPORT ON THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1930.

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

Department of Lands and Survey, Sir,— Wellington, Ist July, 1930. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report under the Kauri-gum Industry Amendment Act, 1914, for the year ended 31st March, 1930. I have, &c, J. B. Thompson, Under-Secretary. The Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Lands. As stated in. last year's report, all stocks of kauri-gum the property of the Department were placed in the hands of the Kauri-gum Control Board for disposal as provided for by the Kauri-gum Control Act, 1925. These stocks of gum consisted of accumulated purchases, chiefly made during the trying period through which the industry passed prior to the setting-up of the Control Board. They could not have been disposed of sooner without running the risk of disturbing market conditions and rendering matters even more unsatisfactory than was the case at that time. The Control Board sold the stocks as the demand sprang up, and the accumulations in the hands of private firms were worked off, thus enabling the market to absorb them without interfering with current production. All of the old stocks have been sold, delivery of portions of the last lots disposed of being taken during the current year, with the exception of one pile of poor chips which was unsaleable at the time, and which was handed over to the Control Board on consignment for treatment at its cleaning plant at Penrose. A considerable quantity of the recleaned material was sold during the year, and the balance will be disposed of by the Board as opportunity offers. The following tables give particulars of the export of kauri-gum from the Dominion for the years 1919-30, and of the quantities of gum received in Auckland from the gumfields during the past eight years : — Export or Kauri-gum. For the year ended 31st March, 1930, the export amounted to 4,941 tons, of the value of £264,452, an average price of about £53 per ton. The tonnage, value, and average price per ton of the export for the past twelve years are — Year ended Tonnage y , Average 31st March, exported. V c ' per Ton. £ £ 1919 2,338 152;299 66 1920 4,726 310,614 66 1921 6,131 524,701 85 1922 3,968 391,304 98 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