THE KAURI GUM INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 267, 4 August 1908, Page 2

THE KAURI GUM INDUSTRY.

Sir,—ln an Auckland paper of the 23rd hist. I noticed some "caustic , (save the mark!) comments by gum merchants in Auckland" on thS'member for Kaipara's (Mr. J. Stallworthy) recent speech in- the House on tlie gum industry, etc. It is easy to appreciate the uncomfortable visions called forth by this possible interference with their vampire-like trade, but as they, are paying "Home prices," and therefore ' presumably losing the cost, of freight, etc., why should they object' to a competitor who would undoubtedly steady the market by regulating the .supply,' the world's, mark you,: and .incidentally put an end to the gambling element in the trade at-'present carried on solely-' at the producer's expense? The statement .thatYprices' have heen and are steadily, ad-'' vanciiig all over. the. .world is/-if the gum-. • fields themselves are' barred; 7 undoubtedly true. ' The comparison hetween kauri gum , and .wool or flax is a foolish, cue,- ns kauri gum has no. rival that endangers .its' superiority, over all-, other, products .of-.the kind, whereas wool and flax.are equalled, both in quality and' suitability for manufacture in many parts of', the-world, some of these being cheap labour countries.. - As regards the query as to what , basis advances would bo made, to the .diggers on security of their, gum, the answer is simple: on a basis • of snot value in. Auckland, after an agreement-- as to - the -reserve price had been ; arrived at'. , ' I .saw recently in the "New Zealand Worker' 1 a'letter having ,in 'it the statement -that rio gum merchant in Auckland has ever been able to retire oil his: profits, as, an argument ; 'to--prove' tho smallness of profits in this article. 1 '■ 'Probably this is so, as their' rapacity is proverbial;, but, on the other liana,, many have begun with very little cash and.an unblushing front,.who own now handsome and: extensive promises in the most valuable business portions of tlie city, as part .of their share-of j the -fourteen million sterling produced by tho'digger. I may add that all who are . acquainted with tho working of deep-level gum can assure you that with''some' assistance in-the mat-' ter of drainago, and the'legulatiori of prices; there is absolutely no. the guiii', in-' dustry playing out .in "this'century,-'as tho bottorti lei-el at which gum is' to be found has yet to be- reached, but'probably /is to .' be found in ; the carboniferous strata when required and ivhen tho nrice warrants its oxtraction.—l am, -etc.; " : ; ••• , • ' s P.OBT. H.: BLACK,' : . Auckland ■ Gumdiggors'. Union,. .',Wait>u; July 31, 1908.; ''