Northern Advocate Daily WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE Northern Mail Daily. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1914. KAURI GUM INDUSTRY.

Northern Advocate, 28 November 1914, Page 4

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

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1914. KAURI GUM INDUSTRY.

-. ■ t4lßTriKl<a> i<'o-i rn«Nani«hioN THhOUGH IliE POST „S A NEWSPAPER

When the Kauri Gum Industry Act, 1914:, comes into full operation, we shall all be the better able to judge the extent of its practicability and value. hi the meantime the most sensible attitude to adop t is the avoidance of dogmatic comment and immature criticism. We may rationally go so far, however, as to deal with the intention that 'the promoters liad in mind when framing the measure and the indications of its worth as given by the initial stage of the scheme's application. In the -first place it will be recalled that the plan was evolved at a time when to all appearances the •industry was threatened with total paralysis by the irruption of the war, and that the Government, as was the duty of any Government, tackled a position in which it seemed likely that several thousand men —a large number having wives and families—would be left completely stranded, with their only source of income laid prostrate and inert. Had that aspect been maintained, without any ameliorating intervention, the several thousand diggers would not only have been reduced to terrible indigence, but the general unemployment problem would have been greatly intensified and the town centres such as Whangarei and Auckland,, have been congested with hosts of helpless workers. Fortunately for afll concerned, there has been a considerable resuscitation of negotiations in kauri gum, and to that extent the State is relieved- Quite a number of buyers are again operating, yet the normal has not been reached and may not be for a long timeThere remains a pretty big hiatus, and it is here thai the State scheme steps in very appropriately and acceptably to the help of many diggers. Certain storekeeper-buy-ers on the fields are inclined to resent the State intervention as a usurpation of their trade, but it must not be forgotten that selling to the State is quite.at the diggers' option, that he scheme is devised solely to meet the hard lot of those diggers who would otherwise be in extremis, and that if the buyers can offer better terms than the State does there is nothing to prevent them. In one instance, and that on a large scale, this is being done, as a northern company is offering a 75 per cent, advance, as against the Government's 50 per cent., on prices ruling one month before the advent of war, besides granting free permits to dig on the company's large estate. Nevertheless, the scheme instituted by the Government will find appreciation in many places still untouched by the partial revival of dealings in kauri gum. and likely to be isolated for some time to i

come. This is evident from fclvj authenticated reports of advances .-../ i.e./ vi: • *'-<:■■.! i■;.- mm ■c; . •r. diggers, although the Act becaiu" law" only three weeks ago. nr-.[ ii is something to the credit of _dr ii. 1\ (iruville. tlie Kauri liuni Commissioner, that he has lived such expedition in bringing the | provisions of the Act. to bear so effectually. Tn some quarters the .suggestion is made that ire State, having embarked thus far. .should take over the whole industry; but we fear that the idea comes about three decades too late to be of effectual service. One hopes 'that the necessity for these advances will be lifted at an early period from now. In the meantime it is pleasing to note that the Government has realised its responsibility in the matter h-mI i hat Parliament as a whole has endorsed the principle of aiding a necessitous section of the industrial community irrespective of all other considerations.