THE Northern Advocate Daily WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE Northern Mail Daily. SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1914. GUM LANDS COMMISSION.

Northern Advocate, 16 May 1914, Page 6

THE Northern Advocate Daily WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE Northern Mail Daily.

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1914. GUM LANDS COMMISSION.

WEGISTERED FOR TRANSMISSION THROUGH TII E POBT A S A*. NE W 8 P r A P'E R,

'As we predicted . when the Royal Commission on Gum Lands was set up to investigate , the whole of the northern peninsula; with a vieAv to ascertaining and denning the non-bearing or depleted portions that might .be made available for settlement, the 40 days fixed as the time in which the Commission should do its woik has proved quite inadequate, and it is satisfactory to know that this important work is being given the time necessary to do it in a thorough manner. The comznissioii began its active proceedings at Ilohoura in the far North ;oa April, and since that time-has. covjred all the large area of country extending from near the '.North Cape to almost the southern limits if the Whangarei county. Five counties are now completed, and. . when it.is considered that the kauri gum reserves are scattered!' all over these large areas it must be admitted that the members of the commission have made rapid, progress. We /understand from inquiries made and from reporis; from the districts visited that the 'commission's work, especially the important part of it, has not been done in at all a casual manner. Every reserve has been thoroughly inspected by members dF the commission, and in all the important centres where the commission has made a stop, evidence of persons possessing knowledge of the giirn resei'ves has been taken. The inspection of the reserves is regarded by the members of thecommission as the essential part, of their work, for, it has beeiu fjound in all districts visited that there prevails a vagueness and an indenniteness as to what portion of each particular gum-field is covered by the reservation. As pointed out by the chairman on. Thursday evening, many of the reserves have been set> apart in a most haphazard manner, and tens of thousands of acres of really good land have absolutely been cut off from , the ordinary process-of settlement. The result of the commission's work will, we feel assured, prove of inestimable value to the Minis- • ter of Land's in carrying out his avowed policy of pushing on the . deyeojpment of the North; for when the commission's report is handed in there will be available for settlement large areas of laud that have been locked up for the past 20 years. Apart from the somewihat narrow scope of the- V-. commission, it is clear from the evidence being taken and collected*, that the commission has in miind many matters relevant to their- , investigation, and will no doubt be able to make such recommendations as will enable the minister - to deal with the "Northern gumfields in a way highly beneficial to the gum-diggers themselves and •to the people of the Dominion as--a whole. Residents in the south—

;rn portion of the Dominion have not a true conception of the value and extent of the kauri-gum industry. When it is considered, however, that the export of kauri-gum amounts annually to nearly £500,----000, that up to the present date a total value of £17,000,000 worth of gum has been exported, and that the industry affords'employment for 4000 or 5000 men, it will be recognised 1 that it was quite time that a commission should have been appointed to make inquiries into matters affecting the welfare of the districts in which this great industry is being carried on. When we made our comment on the time fixed for the commission we had no misgivings that the Minister of Lands would allow the work o-f the commission to be hampered on a question of time, nor whatever time was found necessary by the commissioners would be readily granted. Our anticipations in this respect have, been realised, and we are pleased to be able to say that the work of the eommissbn is being proceeded with in such* a way that it will prove of great value to the State. We venture to assert that the commission's report will be a yalueable one, and will bear testimony to the foresight and ability of the Hon. the Premier, who was re-; sponsible for haying had the commission set up. ,' '