KAURI-GUM INDUSTRY (REPORT ON THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1929.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1929 Session I, C-12

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1929. NEW ZEALAND.

KAURI-GUM INDUSTRY (REPORT ON THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1929.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 5 of the Kauri-gum Industry Amendment Act, 1914.

Department of Lands and Survey, Sir, — Wellington, Ist July, 1929. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report under the Kauri-gum Industry Amendment Act, 1914, for the year ended 31st March, 1929. I have, &c., J. B. Thompson, Under-Secretary. The Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lands.

In accordance with the provisions of the Kauri-gum Control Act, 1925, all stocks of kauri-gum the property of the Department were placed in the hands of the Kauri-gum Control Board for disposal. The Kauri-gum Control Board having decided not to export gum, but to act as a broker in the sale of producers' gum to exporters, the Government stocks were offered for sale locally. In the early part of the year a good deal of the stocks accumulated by dealers and others since the boom year of 1920 was still unsold. During the year, however, owing to the low prices obtainable for gum, most of the diggers gradually left the fields, and with the lower production the remaining private accumulations were mostly worked off, and the Government stocks came into demand and could be sold without disturbing the market or unduly interfering with current production. A number of large parcels of Government gum of gradings in short supply have been disposed of, and delivery is being taken as desired by the buyers within twelve months from the date of purchase. It is hoped that by the end of the current year practically the whole of the Government stocks of gum will have been disposed of and delivery taken. The following tables give particulars of the export of kauri-gum from the Dominion for the years 1918-29, and of the quantities of gum received in Auckland from the gumfields during the past eight years : — Export of Kauri-gum. For the year ended 31st March, 1929, the export amounted to 4,566 tons, of the value of £241,223, an average price of £53 per ton. The tonnage, value, and average price per ton of the export for the past twelve years are — Year ended Tonnage v . Average 31st March, exported. a ' per Ton. £ £ 1918 4,636 304,852 66 1919 2,338 152,299 66 1920 4,726 310,614 66 1921 6,131 524,701 85 1922 3,968 391,304 98 1923 6,080 520,409 85 1924 6,923 640,712 92 1925 5,432 446,019 82 1926 5,495 414,420 75 1927 4,529 301,335 66 1928 4,531 267,559 59 1929 4,566 241,223 53

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Details of the yearly export, and the country to which exported, from 1918 to 1929, are given below:—

Particulars of Kauri-gum, exported from New Zealand from 1918 to 31st March, 1929, inclusive.

Production during the Year. The kauri-gum received at Auckland from the gumfields for the past eight years is shown, month by month, in the following table : — Kauri-gum received in Auckland. 1921-22. 1922-23. 1923-24. 1924-25. 1925-26. 1926-27. 1927-28. 1928-29. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. April .. .. 191 543 480 439 483 338 317 295 May .. .. 331 514 613 501 330 332 277 390 June .. .. 358 654 459 344 395 362 359 331 July .. .. 404 548 352 363 399 401 230 364 August .. 368 689 522 407 326 392 241 331 September .. 508 781 450 373 403 287 323 288 October .. 420 610 490 471 299 229 385 356 November .. 482 601 612 427 486 341 500 . 407 December .. 285 667 576 591 410 325 284 245 January .. 331 590 506 525 365 265 278 290 February .. 466 658 475 492 396 198 307 275 March .. 608 700 537 520 541 441 411 240 4,752 7,546 6,072 5,453 4,833 3,911 3,912 3,812

Country to I 1st April, 1917, to ! 1st April, 1918, to I 1st April, 1919, to 1 1st April, 1920, to 1st April, 1921, to 1st April, 1922, to which exported. 31st March, 1918. 31st March, 1919. 31st March, 1920. 31st March, 1921. 31st March, 1922. 31st March, 1923. Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ United States of 2,316 164,516 1,371 81,914 2,037 157,251 3,224 345,992 2,487 266,922 3,742 367,946 America United Kingdom 363 13,982 346 19,977 1,650 90,422 2,544 149,422 1,297 104,094 1,960 129,082 Germany .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 58 3,574 70 3,363 Canada .. 1,929 124,271 572 45,588 1,016 61,005 314 24,481 89 9,641 109 7,462 Australia .. 18 1,577 49 4,820 23 1,936 49 4,802 37 7,073 84 6,679 Belgium Prance .. Austria-Hungary Russia .. .... Netherlands .. i .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 90 4,381 Sweden .. .. I .. . . .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 1,000 Italy .. .. .. | .. .. .. .. ... .. .. ,.| ] 170 Japan .. 10 506 .. .. .. .. .. 4 • • ! 4 326 Hong Kong .. • • j ■ • • • • • •. .. .. .. .. .. j ■ .. Totals .. J 4,636 304,852 2,338 152,299 4,726 310,614 6,131 524,701 3,968' 391,304: 6,080 520,409 Country to 1st April, 1923, to j 1st April, 1924, to j 1st April, 1925, to 1st April, 1926, to [ 1st April, 1927, to I 1st April, 1928, to which exported. 31st March, 1924. j 31st March, 1925. 31st March, 1920. 31st March, 1927. I 31st March, 1928. I 31st March, 1929. Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ United States of 4,197 449,117 2,624 250,379 2,682 211,623 1,863 136,397 2,087 120,349 2,337 139,672 America United Kingdom 2,409 170,785 2,360 169,975 2,350 179,868 2,036 133,032 2,043 127,401 1,504 77,479 Germany .. 66 2,832 117 6,367 107 4,670 127 5,432 119 6,613 234 1 7,949 Canada .. 118 7,714 97 5,726 101 3,569 144 7,181 165 6,329 208 7,448 Australia .. 7 787 24 2,006 9 1,198 15 911 33 1,448 8 408 Belgium .. .. ! .. .. .. 33 1,168 114 4,563 .. .. 60 1,094 France .. 55 5,855 79 5,121 135 9,136 89 6,980 60 3,915 150 5,206 Austria-Hungary I .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ! .. j .. Russia .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Netherlands .. 38 1,582 53 1,917 46 1,809 34 1,950 3; 483 29j i 068 Sweden .. .. j 20 820 .. .. 46 1,929 1| 132 .. | Italy .. .. 26 1,647 55 3,546 .. 2 51 2,469 .. .. 10 127 Japan .. 7 393, 3. 162 22 1,027 10 476 20 843 26 772 Hong Kong .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. j Denmark .. .. .. .. .. 10 350 .. .. China .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 .. 25 .. South African .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 Union j 1 Totals .. 6,923j 640,712 5,432 446,019] 5,495 414,420 4,529 301,335j 4,531j 267,559 4,566 241,223

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KAURI-GUM INDUSTRY ACCOUNT. Receipts and Payments Account for the Year ended 31st March, 1929. Receipts. £ s. d. Payments. £ s. d. To Cash in Public Account., Ist April, 1928 .. 71 16 10 :By Repayment of advances from Consolidated Fund 800 0 0 Sales of consignment .. .. .. 207 25 j General expenses .. .. .. .. 14 12 0 Sales of gum .. .. .. .. 4,963 10 I Royalty .. .. .. .. .. 184 11 8 Interest on investments .. .. .. 17 13 10 ! Wages .. .. .. .. .. 538 13 9 Lands and Survey vote .. . . .. 165 0 0 Freight and cartage .. .. .. 68 7 4 Credits in reduction of expenditure .. .. 407 13 3 j Sacks .. .. .. .. .. 30 16 2 | Insurance .. .. .. .. 168 0 1 J Rent .. .. .. .. .. 625 0 0 j Repairs to lift .. .. .. .. 66 14 9 1 Cash in Public Account at 31st March, 1929 .. 3,335 11 7 ! __ £5,832 7 4 £5,832 7 4 Trading Account for the Year ended 31st March, 1929. Dr. £ s . d. Gr. £ s. d. To Gum on hand .. .. .. .. 29,362 6 8 By Sales .. .. .. .. .. 5,554 1 2 Gum on hand .. .. .. .. 23,275 6 5 Balance to Profit and Loss Account .. 532 19 1 £29,362 6 8 £29,362 6 8 Profit and Loss Account for the Year ended 31st March, 1929. Dr - £ S. d. Gr. £ s. d. To Trading Account .. .. .. .. 532 19 1 By Storage .. .. .. .. .. 46 4 Wages .. .. .. . . .. 474 17 7 Interest on investments .. .. .. 17 13 10 Freight and cartage .. .. .. 118 10 10 Balance, net loss for year carried down .. 5,573 8 8 Sacks used . . . . . . . . 30 16 2 Insurance .. . . . . . . 168 0 1 Depreciation .. . . .. .. 40 13 7 Rent .. .. .. .. .. 500 0 0 Repairs to lift .. . . .. .. 66 14 9 General expenses .. .. .. .. 14 12 0 j Loss on consignment .. .. .. 575 14 9 Interest on debentures . . .. .. 3,072 10 0 £5,595 8 10 £5,595 8 10 £ s. d. £ s. d. To Balance from previous year .. .. 47,929 12 2 By Balance—Accumulated loss to 31st March, 1929 53,503 010 Balance carried down .. .. .. 5,573 8 8 £53,503 0 10 £53,503 0 10 Balance-sheet as at 31st March, 1929. Liabilities. £ s. d. Assets. £ s. d. Loan Account—Debentures issued .. .. 75,000 0 0 Land at face-works, &c., buildings, &c. .. 5,012 210 Crown Lands Account .. .. .. 500 0 0 Vacuum-tank, &c. .. .. .. .. 2,900 610 Consolidated Fund, for interest paid on debentures 12,567 17 8 Plant and store fittings .. .. .. 115 7 1 Interest accrued but not due .. .. .. 1,262 13 5 Tools at Auckland and depots.. .. .. 23 9 6 Sundry creditors— Live and dead stock .. .. .. .. 28 1 9 Northern Steamship Co. .. .. 0 9 9 Furniture and office fittings .. .. .. 65 17 3 Sundry consignors for gum purchases .. 18 5 2 Gum on hand .. .. .. .. 23,275 6 5 Orders issued to sundry consignors .. .. 30 12 0 j Sacks and gum-cases on hand .. .. 281 4 1 Lands and Survey vote .. .. .. 165 0 0 Advances on gum .. .. .. .. 61 711 Reserve Account .. .. .. .. 617 13 10 Sundry debtors— Kauri-peat oils .. .. .. .. 52 6 8 Kauri-gum Control Board .. .. .. 671 12 8 Sundries .. .. .. .. .. 11 16 0 Insurance premium paid in advance .. .. 87 3 5 Investment in Public Debt Redemption Fund .. 737 17 0 Profit and Loss Account .. .. .. 53,503 0 10 j Cash in Public Account .. .. .. 3,335 11 7 £90,162 11 10 ! £90,162 11 10 J. B. Thompson, Under-Secretary for Lands. J. H. O'Donnell, Controller of Accounts. I hereby certify that the Statements of Receipts and Payments, Trading and Profit and Loss Accounts, and Balance-sheet have been duly examined and compared with the relative books and documents submitted for audit, and correctly state the position as disclosed thereby. The following comments are appended : (l) The figures shown in the stock-book have been accepted for " gum on hand"; (2) no depreciation has been charged on the asset, vacuum tank, &c., £2,900 6s. lOd. —G. F. C. Campbell, Controller and Auditor-General.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—.Preparation, not given ; printing (750 copies, including map), £5.

Authority : W. A. G. Skinnek, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 929,

Price 3d.']