C.;-a.2.

._ 1932. NEW ZEALAND.

KAURI-GUM INDUSTRY (REPORT ON THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1932.

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, S IR; Wellington, Ist August, 1932. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report under the Kauri-gum Industry Amendment Act, 1914, for the year ended 31st March, 1932. I have, &c, W. Robertson, Under-Secretary, The Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Lands.

During the year business has been very dull, with practically no demand for the better (varnish) grades and a greatly diminished demand for the poorer (linoleum) grades. It has not been a question of price, or the competition of other gums, so much as a result of the world-wide depression in raw materials generally. Other varnish and linoleum gums have been affected in the same way, some to a much greater extent than kauri-gum. Whilst the demand has fallen off in all directions, it has been particularly so in the case of the United States of America, business with that country being duller and prices lower than for very many years past. To some extent the demand for linoleum grades has held up and some business has been possible, especially with Great Britain, but prices have, fallen to a very low level. Owing to the depressed conditions of the labour-market, gum-diggers were for the most part compelled to remain on the gumfields and accept whatever prices were offered, with the result that the output of gum has been much larger than would have been the case had other work been obtainable. The Department still has a comparatively small stock of gum in the hands of the Kauri-gum Control Board, consisting of chip gradings recleaned at the Board's gum-cleaning plant at Penrose. No reasonable offer could be obtained for the same during the year, and they are being held pending an improvement in the market conditions. Export of Kauri-gum. For the year ended 31st March, 1932, the export amounted to 3,164 tons, of the value of £124,757, an average price of about £39 per ton. The tonnage, value, and average price per ton of the export for the past twelve years are— Year ended Tonnage y . ■ Average. I 31at March, exported. • per Ton. £ £ 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 >'."3/' 1930 4,941 264,452 53 1931 3,145 155,602 49 1932 3,164 124,757 39