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Northern Advocate, 25 September 1919, Page 3

• During the debate in the House of Representatives on the second reading of the Kauri Gum Industry Bill, Sir Joseph Ward asked the Minister to say in hfs reply whether these gum lands might not be suitable for providing >a substitute for coal as the bogs of Ireland did. Mr F. Mander (Marsden) said a duty should be put on kauri gum and its products for the benefit of local bodies. He would move such an amendment in committee. Mr C. H. Poole (Auckland West) said the kauri gum industry had been under the care of the Government since the war and it was about time the House had a full report on the conduct of that business. He feared it was like many another State industry—it was being killed by unsympathetic administration. Mr J. A. Young (Waikato) said he doubted if the quality of oil extractable from kauri gum was eyer likely to be as great as expected. At the same tim'\ by viirtuo of the new methods of the new methods of treating gum, he was satisfied that a new era for the industry was dawning. After the Minister had replied, the Bill was read a second time.