THE GUM FIELDS COMMISSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9257, 20 July 1893, Page 6

THE GUM FIELDS COMMISSION.

[by TELEGRAPH.— OWN" CORRESPONDENT.] Manc.ONUI, Wednesday. The Kauri Gum Commission met at Mr. Evans' etore, Hohoura, on Saturday.

John Magee Tynan, runholder, said ho had had 15 years' experience in the trade, doing the buying. Five years ago a great fall in price took place owing to the excessive supply. Then there wore 200 men on this held, now about 70. Mostly black gum is got here, dug round tho swamp. Mot get from lewt to l|cwt, exclusive of "sugar," worth .'s2s per cwt. He owned 2000 acres, and digging was proceeding all over it. Twelve to sixteen shillings was the cost of living. Between Hohoura and Parent'arenga tho natives wore now turning the white diggers otl* and setting up stores themselves. They refuse to renew the licenses to white men, who have been paying 10s per annum, and 2s per ton royalty additional. Hans Olson, a Norwegian gumdigger, said ho had been digging on Government land for seven years. His wife and family were on the field with him. He applied for land near the field to sottlo on. On the Ngataki block there wero 115 or 40 diggers. The average yield was levvb per week, and would be worth 40s. One Austria:, and two other foreigners were on ! the field. The former was married to a Maori woman, lb cost for living 12s to IS- per week. 1 Will/am Smith, perpetual leaseholder, gumdigger, said ho only averaged threequarters of a cwb per week. He was living with his wife and family, which cost under ISs per week. An export duty of £5 was too heavy ; £1 would bo a good thing. Tho Commission met at Parengaronga on Monday morning. . Albert Ward said he had been digging for six years. From 100 to 120 men were on Mr. Yates' ground. No feo or royalty was charged. The gum was sold to Mr. Yates. They had no written agreements. He estimated the average all over the field the year round as one cwt per week. These fields had not been worked by white people till fivo years ago, and tho natives only picked the surface, consequently there was plenty of good gum still. The field had not yet been worked over the first time by Europeans. Living cost him 25s per week, but that was exceptionally high. Tucker charges were liberal, considering the freights. Two or three Austrian? were on the ground. There wero six or seven married men with families on the ground. There were thirty settlers, and some sent money homo. The diggers generally object to a license fee, believing that they pay enough through the Customs, and consuming the settlers' produce. If a license fee were arranged, it should bo permanent, not annual, and not issued either to aliens or British subjects till they were resident in the colony for one year. Tho diggers would gladly support this to conserve the fields, anil to restrict the export and keep up the price. The diggers objected to an export duty, unless they could have a guarantee that it would not fall on the consumer. There were no complaints about the truck system here.

Joseph Foster, settler, Mangonui, said he was digging on Mr. Vato3' ground. 'The proposal for a perpetual licenso was very good. He was satisfied an export duty would fall on the consumer. If the revenue were used exclusively for local roads he would support it. Tho cost of living was about 14s a week. Ploughing gum land was unfair. The average obtained hero was higher than anywhere else. The ground was not overworked. Frederick Yate.», bookkeeper, said the provisions were sent to the camp, and the gum brought away without a fee. The prices were very reasonable. The average all the year round was lewt per week, and the cost of living was 1");. Ten diggers were on the tield.

Lionel Henry Clandit, gum buyer for Mr. Yates, said he got connected with the trade eight years ago. He was digging for three years. Though the gum was scarcer it would not be worked out for many year--. He approved of tho imposition of an export duty, provided the money derived was exclusively spent on local roads by the County Council, an otlicer of the general Government undertaking it. Many of the sons of settlers were on the field. The money earned was sent home, and was going to help to cultivate the land. He objected to the gum land being set aside for selection, lease, or freehold. It should bo reserved for tho benefit of the settlers when they found it necessary to dig. Steps should be taken to check the influx of diggers. He proposed a perpetual license to residents, British or foreign, of at least one year's residence. That was the best plan. He bought about live tons weekly from 110 men. Witness described how the sales in London were conducted from personal observation.

Samuel Yates said he held a lease of gum Gelds for IS years past. Europeans started digging generally about three years ago. The Maoris always dug in a desultory way. Out of the 57,000 acres he held, one-third was gum land. The Maoris charge a fee of 10s annually and 40s per ton royalty. They have now prohibited Europeans digging. An export duty would be advantageous, and might at first, hurt the diggers, but eventually, by limiting tho export, would cause a rise. Tho proposed perpetual licenso was a good restriction, which should apply to sill new arrivals. The witness gave a history of tho gum from the first shipment to date. About 25 diggers attended the meeting, and generally concurred in the evidence given by the first witness.