KAURI GUM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 190, 14 August 1939, Page 4

KAURI GUM.

CAUTIOUS BUYERS OVERSEAS.

EXPORTS WELL SPREAD.

All of the regular overseas buying countries were interested in the exports of 238.19 tons of kauri gum shipped during July. Nothing went to Canada, but there is stilUtime to send a further supply to reach that Dominion before the close of the northern summer, after which none is likely to be sent for another six months unless some manufacturers find themselves so short that they will incur the extn expense of transport overland from Halifax.

The total value is officially stated as £10,633. which works out at an average price of £44 12/9 per ton. compared with £47 12/6 in June, and £58 6/4 in May. However, the' gradual fall is not due to any comparable fall in the market, but is probably mainly owing to the increasing preponderance of shipments to the L T niteil Kingdom. 161.13 tons going in July, as against 89 tons in June, and only 49 tons in May. During July there was also 14.95 tons sent on optional bill of lading for Germany, and 12.75 tons direct to the Continent. 3 tons of this being for Germany. 4.35 tons for France, and 5.4 tons for the Netherlands. The other buyers were Australia, taking one toll, Japan, 10.56 tons, and the United States 37.S tons.

Orders were mostly of small dimensions individually, suggesting that manufac- | tnrers are working on small stocks during I this period of international anxiety,, and are only buying when they must have a | particular grade. There are no large I stocks held in the city, and reduced quantities are coming to hand at present, I doubtless owing very largely to the bad i weather during the past few weeks. ! At the same time everything points to production steadily falling off, and several I fairly large areas in which diggers were i formerly y-inning gum have now been I found suitable for general farming. Diggers are continually leaving the field*! atti acted by public works and other easier and 111 ore remunerative work. Many, however. still seem to prefer the comparative freedom of action experienced in finndieeing. and remain on the fields, in spi'o of all the hud-diips. Even they, however are gradually tending to make up larjie parties in order to thoroughly exploi* substantial areas. The result has been the creation of miniature villages, these gradually taking the place of the individual tents_ and shacks that have liven such a prominent feature in the northern landscape for over half a century.