THE FAR NORTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14359, 2 May 1910, Page 6

THE FAR NORTH.

■-'-:.-■■■'. —~...,..., ~♦ , -— r . ; - TOUR OF A MINISTER. GUMDIGGERS' GRIEVANCES. [BY TELEGRAPH.OWN correspondent.] '" Houhora, ■ Saturday. The Hon. Thee. Mackenzie, Minister for Agriculture and Industries and Commerce, accompanied by Mr. Vernon Reed, M.P., and Mr. L. E. Johnson (privatesecretary), arrived l Here yesterday afternoon by launch from Mangonui. The Minister received a number of deputations during the afternoon. : . . ■■■:■' .' ..." Meters.. S. Lees and J. Reid, on behalf . of the settlers and diggers, urged that the gum should be taxed according to value, and not weight; that the State should take control of the gum industry ; that aliens should pay a tax of £10 a year .'or digging on gum reserves, and that they should work for five years at other employment before being entitled to,dig on gum reserves; - that settlers on gum reserves should receive consideration under the Government Advances to Settlers Act ;• that. settlers and diggers in the Far North should receive help from yvhe, Government in the matter of medical aid ; that it was not advisable to chain swamps on gum reserves, as it would use fie country to be flooded by Austrian*. Messrs. Cheeseman and Hebden (president and secretary respectively of the Gumdiggers' Union) asked the Minister to consider that sites for dwellings on gum reserves should be leasehold, to prevent speculators from acquiring the same; that the draining of swamps was inadvisable, as the ; gum market would be glutted by aliens Would flood the field and drive off, : the-bonn-fide digger. Mr., Reed said that the conditions under which the diggers worked and lived in the Far North were different from the other fields. A Bill dealing with the gum . industry ; would come before Parliament next session. The Minister was now conversant with the wants of the district, and the conditions under which the diggers i worked. - , The Minister, who was received with i cheers,, said that if the State took control i of the gum industry an extra official i would be required, and the country must , pay such a man well. The matter, of grading was, very important, and any '.' grading certificate given in New .Zealand must be final, and not left open to Home , arbitration, as such a. systen might he ; used against the Dominion ib case o£ a. falling market. Ho was pleased to have the wants of the Far North bud before him so clearly and concisely, and he would ; , represent matters, to the Cabinet' and en- , deavour to secure an imp-'^ment. '-';_, -...;;. The Minister and ri<y left' by-launch for Awanui and KciSaia amid cheers for the Minister and the Government. AN UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE [r, jwnar ON A LAUNCH. [BY telegraph.— correspondent.] r , , Kaitaia, Saturday. The Hon. Thos. Mackenzie and party reached here at noon to-day. ; The party left Houhora yesterday about five o'clock, in Mr. Wyles's motor launch: After crowing Rangaunu Bay and entering the inner harbour the man in charge of the launch could not pick up the channel, with the result that after sailing about the harbour till midnight the anchor had to be cast till this morning, when the launch came on to Awanui, reaching there about ten o'clock. The experience was a verv unpleasant one for the party, as the night was very cold, and the party had no rugs. It was the intention of the Minister to call at Kairaaumau en route to Awanui, but the boatman was unable to pick up the entrance, and so the visit did hot take place. A deputation,; introduced : by Mr. Reed, : met the Minister at Kaitaia and brought the various wants of the district before bun, viz., a new post office, the draining of Lake Tangone, roads and bridges, and the making of a road connection between Victoria Valley and Mangamuka. The Minister ex,pressed- himself as very pleased with the district, particularly; noting; the quality of the land, and the' abundant growth of pas- , palum. ; ;';.{ , '■ ( ■'•'.•'.■• After lunch at the'Kuitaia Hotel, and a visit to the dairy factory, the party left for j Kohukohu, via Takahue.