KAURI GUM.

Northern Advocate, 18 November 1910, Page 2

KAURI GUM.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Under this heading, in your issue of last week, Mr Dell appears to have supplied the press with tbo worst possible account of the present state) of the gumfields and the industry generally. Well, we all have to deplore the existence of a depressed market for this article, but the trade is never at its best at this particular time of the year, for reasons well-known to all who are to any extent interested in the business. The same thing has occured before times without number, but I entertain a well-founded hope that recent legislation affecting the gum industry, and which is likely to encourage a better system of working the remaining deposits of this valuable product, will also tend in a great measure to steady prices. No good object can be served by spreading abroad such exaggerated statements as those made by Mr Dell. Why there are several thousands of Europeans still at work on the whole of the gum- i producing areas, to say nothing of the j very large numbers engaged in the i collection and sorting of the bled gum, j a phase of the industry which is cap- j able of being prolonged for an indefin- j ite time. There are also still very j large areas almost untouched, held by j private owners, and, in fact, all things i being considered, the gum industry is still going strong. The prices as they rule at present will compare favourably with past records. I have seen gum of the quality referred to by Mr Dell sold as low as 40s. This was about 15 years ago. About six months afterwards the same grade was selling at 80s, and just the same rumors were afldat then as now. The fact is that those who are really well informed as to the state of the gum market generally, can afford to smile at the pessimistic views of such men as Mr Dell, and it is not at all difficult to understand their motives in sprervling such reports, which is evidently done to serve trade interests, pt\re and simple. I speak with some authority on the subject, as I held the position at one time of secretary to an important branch of the Gumdiggeis' Union.—l am, etc., AN OLD GUMDIGGER.