KAURI GUM.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 256, 22 July 1908, Page 2

KAURI GUM.

■■ ; -t ——0 i SUGGESTIONS BY MR. STALLWORTHY. . AUCKLAND CRITICISMS. (BT TELEGRAPH.— SI'ECIAr, COKBESPONDENT.) -f Auckland, July, 21. 1 The member .for Kaipara (Mr. J. Stallworthy) lias brought a storm about his own head through his remarks upon the kauri gum industry., j The''speech he is rbportedto have- made in the ITouso is' in certain quarters regarded as elcct ion poring... Some .of- _ the local gum merchants ~,wero.. seen yester-V uaj. Mr. Stallworthy's reference to' tlie London market prices; is .-absurd said : one. • As a matter of fact, for'the' last six or eight years the price has';beeri steadily advancing -all over the world, though' sinco last ; September the. market lias receded somewhat. iho kauri gum industry, is'-lik?-, everything., else, it is a Question of; supplv;'and demand - ■ Look at the pressnt position of the wool and flax markets.. No attempt to- regulate the gum market would have any -, more effect than m the case ,of other products.; So long as--sellers can tho .article, and. sell at a profit-they will buy, and the ;only reason they will not buy .now is, because; the conIrnry. is. the. case. Glim has been, on the .rise for niany ; years. Take for instance.the class of gumjiiiown as roscraped. •-, The,price, to-day is £25 to £30 per ton better -than in. 1003. Three-quarter scraped, ordinary, in which a. large business is done, is ; £15 to £20 better than in 1903, and '.East Coast' quality has improved -bylsper cent, .■ Good quality dark gums are slightly dearfet. t / The only reason we are not buying gunt-now i - ' because'we cannot sell it at a profit.','. i - ." "There is no ringp" asked.thej.roperten- '■•• "Nonewhatever?' was tho reply, vv : The views of otner merchants varied but ; slightly. ". _ "The. production of kauri, gum .is-a'very, small item compared with other, gums,saidv. a Quay Street merchant. "A varnish-n)jinu- V faeturcr .will use ten cases, of other gums to ' one of kauri. There is Zanzibar, Copal,-jtud Damar, to' say nothing .of .Chinese wood .oil, .' of which nothingiuas heard until a few years, ag0.... Here /is ,• the last London . report, dated - Juno 11, received. this_ morning:.; 'Kauri, gum sales. • comprised 675 cases, and. the other varieties, excluding the Chinese product, which is abig factor, 2689 cases.'" , ... v, "Money was so tight last year," said an- , other merchant, . "and. tho price of. kauri : ~ gum so .high, tliat it. forced- these foreign .! gums on : the London merchants, although the - - .local article is. the best." ... " Speaking of; the Ne\v,.,York..market, which , takes .an equal quantity of gum,;an American shipper: said-, his .clients'had lost confidence • temporarily in kauri gum, as far as making - ... ■contracts .was concerned. , "It is not,to „bn. expected," he said, "that the usual amount . •of kau'ri'.'-gupi-ivill be. used, in the .States/ ' "for some."time to come. .Stocks• are ■so heavy ,at th£ ; present time that ■ buyers don't , know what, to, do • with them." - • Merchants admitted a shortage in sup- - plies., . Foi;. six, months from January to June there, had been a decrease of/1084 tons,, as compared.with 1907, and .up toyesterday supplies showed a comparative decrease of 1225 tons.-. The figures are: 1908. 2291 tons; 1907,;..4217 tons.- • "This decrease .represents a shortage of about £100,000, which is not going into circulation," said a Fbrt Street merchant. {Clio Government depot suggested by Mr. Stallworthy was stated to be impracticable. "On what basis would -tho price |be adjusted?" pertinently inquired a .merchant. "Would the Government give the diggers as much as'thoy are 1 getting now. at-the Homo', .prices? Competition is keen at'the present' time, and sometimes the country storekeeper. ' does not make a profitable deal on his gum ■transactions. If a depot had been suggested many years ' ago ' when' the* industry was young, and [money was plentiful, it might have been different. It is-'ohly a' matter of time when the kauri gum industry will beat' an end." - '■ "Of cburs'e; r if ; th"e Government would assist--" in draining the'kauri gum swamp,"-said, ain-', other,- "it would mean' a lot for the''indus- * s try, and, besides, would" iriiproye. the" value' of tho land.", " ' ' : v'> ! ;