KAURI BLEEDING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 228, 23 September 1904, Page 5

KAURI BLEEDING.

DISCUSSION BY LAND BOARD

At a meeting of the Xand'Board on. the 20th August, 1904, Mr Armstrong gave notice that he would move ax tn.2 .ijoard meeting on the :siJi-d September the following motion: "Tuat -the Board is o£ opinion that the kauri trets standing on Lro«n .Lands be leased 7 "as far as practicable to guniuiggers and settlers' sous, for the pmpo3e of extracting kauri gum. Tae term of lease to be for 3 years and the price per tree, 15/; and that this resolution be forwarded to the Hon. the Minister for Lands, for his favourable consideration."

A lengthy article on this subject— the result of some special inquiries made by a member ot our sta.ll'—appeared in these columns some weeks ago. The resolution was considered by tiie Land Board this morning.

Chief-Ranger Major Lusk recommended that before the Board came to a de-eision as to what recommendation be made to the Minister for Lands, the Board should await his next report on the subject, as he is shortly to make a full investigation on the ground at Hokianga of the operations conducted •by the pioneers in this and he would then be in a much better position to advise as to the proper duration of all leases and other point 3 raised in connection with the question. He had already reported that unde%certain restrictions he did not consider ■the health and life of the trees treated would be damaged, but as observations were made some time tgo, there was now an opportunity of obtaining much ■better information which will remove ■the operation from (if not altogether out of), the experimental stages.

Mr Armstrong in moving his resolution, said that the custom had been in practice for the past 20 years, and as he knew no harm had come- to the trees from the operations of tne Maoris in this way. "If I had my way •we should not sell any more kauri trees if we can get revenue from them by leasing the right to bleed them."

The Commissioner (Mr MeKenzie) said thajt he was taking steps to test the proposal, and he had granted some provisional leases. He knew nothing about the custom personally, but he thought it -would be better if they co-uld get revenue from the kauri bafore absolute sale than to let the timber go without it. He thought it would perhaps be as well to postpone any action for a while. He .added that he had-seen an expert of Waiuku. who had had great experience, and he was against the proposal, because, he said, the kauri was a delicate tree and oftsn was killed by the removal of scrub from around the base of the tree. In any case, so little was certain about the custom, and so much was involved, that if would be better to delay action.

Mr H. J. Greenslade said he thought Mr Armstrong was to be commended for having brought this ma-tter under the notice of the Board, as it was undoubtedly one of considerable importance. Since the last meeting he (Mr Greenslade) had made numerous enquiries from those possessing years ci experience, and a thorough Knowledge of the kauri, and the opinions all agreed that the operation of bleeding for g-um would not, provided it was carried out under reasonable restrictions, damage the health and life of the At !the same time they should act with caution in the matter, and await the report of Major Lusk as to the result of the experiments Which were in process upon the 400-aere reserve, in the Hokinrga district. If these were successful —and he confidently balieved (they would 'be—it would completely revolutionise matters in connection with the kauri industry.

The Board then decided to defer action till next month.