Kauri Gum Reserves.

Northland Age, Volume IV, Issue 48, 20 July 1908, Page 5

Kauri Gum Reserves.

TO THE EDITOK. Bir, —In your last issue under the above beading you printed a letter signed by Fred Russell. May I have space for a few words in reply ? Mr. Russell says that in return for the five shillings per year which they have paid the gumdiggers have received nothing. I don’t know what the gumdiggers expected to receive in return for a paltry five shillings each per year, but I can’t help thinking that they have each and all had their full money’s worth. When the licenses were first issued to the gumdiggers there were, I think, quite twelve hundred and fifty Austrians digging in this county, and to-day I do not think there can be many more than two hundred. Is the expulsion of a thousand Austrians from the county nothing ? Would Mr. Russell or any other gumdigger be quite as well otf to-day bad that extra thousand men been allowed to remain on our gumfields ? y Wonld not those thousand Austrians have completely ruined tho fields of the Mangonui County by this time ?

Mr. Russell says ‘‘as soon as tho 5/saddle was on the authorities started to ride our tails off.” I am very sorry to learn that anyone has dared to ride Mr. Fied Russell’s tail off, for the last time I met him his tale (!) was such a pretty one that we indulged genially at Old Joe’s bar ; but that is a little beside the question. I don’t see how the authorities —by the way, what authorities ?—could have been worrying the diggers except to collect the five shillings every year. There hasn’t been, as tjiere might have been, any serious attempt to draft the diggers on to the special reserves and with a very few exceptions all the cases which have been brought into Court under the Kauri Gum Industry Act have been against the quite wrongly detested Austrian. As for representation on the County Council; does Fred Russell, as a ratepayer, really think that the gumdiggers would benefit by such ? Could even the gumdiggers’ nominee hope to improve the County Council P Would it ho worth while a gumdigger trying ? Besides the

diggers have the inestimable joy of using our splendid roads whenever they please and they can now curse County Councillors impartially as a whole instead of, were they represented, having to swear at one individual and that one their own Councillor.

One thing in M , Russell's letter is new to me and that is the reference to the new five acre Sectiohs. This new gamo hasn’t attracted pjy attention just yet and I wonld be honestly obliged if “ Fred ” would tell me when he replies to this, as I feel sure he will, exactly how it’s being worked. I do like to be put up to all the latest moves and while I don’t agree with all Mr, Russell’s ideas I’m not above owning that he, the said Russell, is on occasion quite competent to teach me a thing or two.

Now Fred, turn to and fight the gumdiggers’ battle with your pen (you seem quite capable) and I’ll tako the other side with "Dick” as reforce if you like. Just a friendly go, you know, and the next time we meet at Waipapakauri we’ll have one together on the strength of it. —I am, etc., RATEPAYER. .