SLACK GUM MARKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18585, 18 December 1923, Page 10

SLACK GUM MARKET.

POSITION AT MAMOAWAI. " DIGGERS' CHRISTMAS' RELIEF. [BY' TELEGRAPH. — OWN ■ CORRESPONDENT. 3 WHANGAREI. Monday. •■O 'A singular: situation has arisen .regardV ing the Mangawai gum-digging field I where the industry is carried on on an extensive - scale. Mr. , A.' J. Murdoch. M-P-. or Marsden; • was advised • last week ' by - telegraph that .the c Auckland j- mer- ., chants £ had notified the 5 Mangawai diggers not to ; ship any more - gum mean"while. . as : there .was'- no market for it. ' There ? was ! a protest immediately from : th* diggers. Mr. - Murdoch got into touch 1 with the responsible Government (dev partment. A To-day he received a * reply from the Hon. W. Nosworthv to the v effect that the sum of £500 had been : placed at:, the disposal .of the gum superintendent. ii» Auckland for the purpose of • buying gum from 'Mangawai. it being , understood that the amount would be - expended .pro; rata, thus alleviating the pressure of the diggers' Christmas needs. - Tk»: member for Marsden expresses the -' opinion . that • the .' gum 'industry 'as a whole in the" North requires to be • placed - upon a more satisfactory basis. , Some ' time ago ' the Ruakaka* '■ gum-diggers "received Government assistance to , the } extent that the local? storekeepers were authorised' to' advance sufficient on pur- - chases with which to provide the neces- '' ' saries of life. This provision, however, was restricted entirely to the Ruakaka field and Mangawai did not participate. Mr.' Murdoch: says that thft question ; is , one for urgent . consideration as soon as • Parliament meets. " . t " • -