NEW GUM GLEANING PROCESS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11417, 21 December 1917, Page 8

NEW GUM GLEANING PROCESS.

(Per Proas Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. When the lion. G. W. Russell announced some time ago in the House of Representatives that the Dominion analyst, Dr McLaurin, had discovered a method of cleaning low-grade kauri gum, the system was criticised by gum merchants, who refused to accept it 'on the ground that it had been tried and discarded years ago. The new- method certainly involves the use of salt, as was done with the discarded system, but there are other factors in Dr McLaurin’s invention which, I am informed, satisfy the Government that it will make a revolutionary improvement in the cleaning system, and be a great advantage to the North Auckland gum country. So satisfied is the Government that it has decided to at once proceed with the erection in Auckland of a cleaning plant on a commercial scale. The Minister of Internal Affairs witnoased an experiment with the new system, when gum particles, practically waste, which could only be sold for about 16 shillings per hundredweight, were cleaned so effectively that they were valued at 05 shillings per hundredweight. The pieces ranged in size from a pea to something little larger than a pinhead. All the dirt was removed and fell to the bottom of the receptacle, leaving clean gum floating on water. The use of this system means that old gum areas, thought to be worked out, will still provide a good return, while the working of non’ fields will become more productive.