BLEEDING KAURI TREES FOR GUM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12698, 29 October 1904, Page 4

BLEEDING KAURI TREES FOR GUM.

A NEW INDUSTRY. At yesterday's meeting of the Auckkrd Crown Lands Board, Major Lutsk, one &f the Departmental officers, reported on"a recent visit of inspection of the kauri forest in tU Hokiauga North district, where the proems ' " ■ of bleeding the trees for the purpose of ob- ";. taining the kauri gam is being carried on. He stated that, after careful examination of the trees operated upon, some of which had been cut into two years in succession, he discovered no signs of their having suffered even the trees that had been bled for four * years appearing fairly healthy. From his observations he nad come to the conclusion that trees bled foi more than two years in ■ succession would not pay, as a rest was necessary, and where rest was given there was no evidence of damage. On a previous occasion he had estimated the yield of gum, ' from well-grown treee bled a second time to be about 151b, but from his latest investigations he had come to the conclusion that trees bled every second year would yield . >, ; 221b of gum, giving a. gioss return of. &$ '•■'"! j per tree, alter providing to. working eit- l '■> W penses. Basing his calculation'*, on this re« turn, he suggested that the charge for each ■• tree should be 2s 6d a year, and that they should be leased for a term of from .seven to 10 years. He thought that the bleeding -\ \ of comparatively young trees should not be permitted, owing to the probable interference with, iheir growth, '■ • S;: &f'^ : '|S*fi Mr. H. J. Greenslade said the industry appeared to be one with great possibilities. The Commissioner (Mr. J as. Mackenzie) did not profess to know much about- 'the kauri industry, and suggested that the whole matter should be approached cautiously. It the facts were a;; Major Lusk indicated, it was quite on the cards that the Government would be better served by leasing forests for bleeding purposes than by allowing the trees to bo cut down, thereby saving the' " trees from destruction, and Vt the-sam.. time reserving a satisfactory revenue. " ' Mr. M. W. Armstrong said that if he had his way he would not allow another kauri tree to be cut down, at least not for some time. The trees might be bled for a considerable period, even if cut down for timber purposes in the end. After further discussion, it was decided to go more fully into the matter at a futmt meeting.