EXPORTS OF KAURI GUM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8963, 30 January 1888, Page 3 (Supplement)

EXPORTS OF KAURI GUM.

Mr. H. P. Barber, gum merohant, lias issued a oircular showing the exports of kauri gum during the year ISS7, aud also furnishing the statistics of export for the past 17 years. These figures are most in* terestiug and instructive. They make it plain how large an item in the prosperity of this province kauri gum has been. The circular also brings forcibly to view that this industry which has returned so large an amount of money to this district, has done so without any expcuditnro by tho State, uot oven in tho formation of roads or bridletracks for the accommodation of those who search for and gather tho gum deposits scattered so abundantly over a large portion of this province. From Mr. Barber's circular wo learn that the exports of kauri gum during 1887, to the 22nd December. amounted to 6971 tons, tho largest quantity yet exported in any one year. The information gathered by our commercial writer would apparently indicate that Mr. Barber has understated the amount, but as Mr. Barber refers to that which has been exported, and the other writer tries to ascertain tho total amount brought to Auckland and sold during the year, this leaves ample room for both statements being correct. We find tho following to be the quantities exported to tho following places during the last three years :— iasr. issc 1835. tons. ion 3. tons. Loudon .. .. .. 2,405 1,:\74 3,'.17 Now York .. .. 4,13!) 3,201 2,303 Sau Francisco .. .. 1 .>0 12 60 Australia .. ... 17 — — 0,971 4.SSO 5,330 The year which has just closed is apparently the first one during which an export of kauri gum was seut to Australia. Though the quantity is small it was sontiu two or three ton lots, which would indicate that a trade for this articlo is gradually being established in the sister colonies. The following comparison of the oxports for the past seventeen years will clearly in dicate to all old colonists how the export of gum fluctuated accordiug to the state of general trade. At the time when trade was dull the increase of gum was very marked, and at other periods when business generally was brisk the supply of this articlo fell oif very considerably. 'Iho following table will tell its own lesson in this respect:— Year. Tons. Year. Tons. IS7I .. 6DO ISSO .. 4098 1872 .. 4061 IS-J1 .. 64M0 157.1 .. 2819 1882 .. 4908 1574 ... *2190 1883 .. 03 0 1875 .. 3127 13*4 .. t>5.,7 1870 .. -871 1535 .. CS3O 1577 .. 3148 1886 .. '188'J 1878 ~ 3410 1887 .. 0971 1879 ... 32-17 It was sometime after the borrowed millions were raised before small sums began to bo expended in tho Auckland province, and wo notice that from IS7I for several years there was a regular decrease in the gum production as other employment became available, ' which provided a little greater degreo of comfort than that obtainable at gumdigging. For several years the production remained nearly stationary, but the depression then occurring had the effect of driving many to the gumlields who had got work previously in other spheres of employment. Since then the yield luj fluctuated considerably until the year which has just closed, when the total amount was greater than ever before. These thousands of tons of gum every year represent a very large amount of wealth pouring into Auckland every week in a way that many take no notice of it. The real impor tacce of this source of wealth will be better comprehended whan a comparison is made between it aud the produce of our gMafields. In order to place these two occupations in as fair a light as possible—those of ti:o kauri gumdigger and tho gold digger—we have carefully compiled, from the returns of exports as published in the Now Zealand Gaz,stte, the quantity and value of kauri gum and gold and silver exported from the Auckland province during the years ISS4-, ISSS, 1886, and three-quarters of 1887. The result is surprising, and is certainly one which tho majority of our readers would not have expected. During the three years and three-quarters of 18S7 referred to tho value of the gold and silver exported from Auckland was. as shown by tho returns in tho Gazette, £566,350, while during the same period the gumdigger added to our wealth, without making any demands upon the funds ot tho State whatever, no less than £1,122,113. Here are the figures, which are certainly instructive:— Kauiii Gum. Gold and Silver. Year 1834. Tons. Valut. Ounce.'. Value. March quarter 1,741 £90.942 10,113 gold £40,350 Juno ~ l.lSJtii 03,944 _ — Sopt. ~ 1,738 90,285 9,393 fi'old 37,010 Doc 171'' 90 145 $ 4,!)5t t? 0 19,417 L ' 0 (" '• 1 - n - 1 21, ail silver 6,125 Total .. .. £341,31t> £101,012 Yo.ir 1855. March quarter 1,430 £73,145 2G9 roIJ £i,O4S June „ .. 1,371 71,-03 310 gold IS,2U •Sept. ~ 1,510J 7f),9.')7 15,415 gold 01,032 rj 1 -Q, 77713.1 J 39,768 gold 158 523 UtL - " I,Mi u,t 04 (10,021 silver 3,119 Total .. .. £298,134 £237,013 Year 1535. March quarter 850 £45,390 '.22,409 gold £83,702 Juuo „ 1,282 63,1177 2,1J0 gold 10,082 Sept. „ 1,1761 03,500 Dec. „ 3,'J7Gj 72,212 CIS gold 21,522 Total £241,851 £142,032 Year 1837. March quarter 1,509 £65,007 10,f>S.i gold £12.006 June „ 785 40,827 ( 1,/lH gold j,l6i Juno •• 78j 40 - b " 7 1 1,2a,i silver .48 Sept. „ 1.034 111,473 { 9,199 £cld » copt. „ 1.031 111,473 } 351 gllv(Jr (Jl Total £237,812 £-5,303 The following tabic gives the details of the exports during the past year, and is intoresting as showing tho different proportions in which the gum is exported to America and England : — EXTORT* KAURI GUM DURING liß7. January 7, Kimutaka, for Lunilou .. .. 18 I January 27, Kewa, for i,oinlou.. .. .. 30 January 31, Nora, for Now York .. .. 190 February 19, llotomahaan, for Australia .. 2 February 24, Linoludon, for New York .. 219 February 26, Tiiraiiwa, for Australia .. .. 3 January 28, Alameda, for San Krauciscu .. 11 .slftreh 2, ileropo, lor ljondon .. .. .. 187 March JO, Ituapohn, for London .. .. 211 Aiareh 28, Mariposa, tot fan Francisco.. .. 5 March 29, A biol Abbot'., for Now York .. .. 459 March i 9, Win. t'blllips, for "■ ew York ~ 199 March 3'>, Murarcm, for Am ralla .. ... 2 April 7, Kalkoura,,for London.. .. .. 75 April 20, bain, for London .. .. .. 67 May 5, 'l'ongariro, for Loudon (220 tons for London, 17 tuns for Now York ... .. 237 May 23, Alameda, for San Francisco .. .. 0 May 29, ionic, for London .. .. ..64 May SI, ltototuahana, for Australia (for Iranshipment to .New York) ~ .. .. 17 June 2, Aorangi, for London .. .. ~ 151 Juno 1, Knaterhill, for London .. .. 03 June 12, Ilelnrich Bauer, for Now York .. 491 Jnmi 25, Coptic, for London .. .. .. 10 June 30, lumutaka, for London (117 tons for Loudon, 26 tons for .New York) „ 143 July 8, Wcllio M. blade, for Now York.. .. 435 July 27, Mararoa, for Australia .. .. 3 July 28, Kuapohu, for London .. .. 71 July ;,0, Potosf, for London .. .. ~ »i August 15, Alameda, for San Francisco .. 12 August 17, Klinor Vernon, for New Kork .. 403 Auju't 2'J, 1 oric, for I oadon . .. .. 72 August '>5, Kaikoura, for London [93 for London, 26 for Now York].. .. „ no September 9. Arab, for New York .. ... 450 September 21, for London .. .. 89 September 22, O W. Janes, for .New York .. 377 September 23, llermlone, for Loudon .. .. 60 September 2;, Itotjmahuna, for Australia „ 4 October 5. Tarawera, for Australia .. .. 3 October 10, Zaaiamiia, for San Francisco .. 11 October 20, Aorangi, for London .. .. 201 October 22, Louie, for London ... ~ .. 10 November 7, Alameda, for San Francisco .. 5 November 8, Bilmorai Castle, for London .. 31 November 17, ltimutaka, for London ... .. 175 November 19, star of the Koat, for New York .. 675 .November 29, To Anau, for Australia (for transhipment to London) .. .. g Dacom',er t, Evf.e lteed, (or New York.. ~ 353 Decembor 15, Ru»pehu, for London .. .. • 108 December 15, Ringitiki, for London .. .. 170 December 22, lialcarres Bioofc, for London .. 157 Total .. .. .. .. ..6,971