KAURI-GUM INDUSTRY (REPORT ON THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1936.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1936 Session I, C-12

C.—l2.

1936. NEW ZEALAND.

KAURI-GUM INDUSTRY (REPORT ON THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1936.

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

S IR Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, Ist July, 1936. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report under the Kauri-gum Industry Amendment Act, 1914, for the year ended 31st March, 1936. I have, &c., W. Robertson, Under-Secretary. The Hon. Frank Langstone, Minister of Lands. Stagnant conditions have again prevailed during the year in the market. No demand whatever exists for the varnish grades and, indeed, remaining stocks of these are so small that it would be very difficult to fill any considerable order. No definite results have yet been obtained from research in connection with solvent processes of purification. Synthetic resins have, however, obtained a very strong hold in the varnish and lacquer industries, and even if a satisfactory gum can be produced considerable difficulty will be experienced in regaining any appreciable portion of this market. There is still a fairly consistent demand for the linoleum grades at prices about on a par with those pasting in the previous year. As hitherto, Great Britain imports the vast majority of this gum, although in recent months a few increased orders have been noted from Montreal and New York. The continued excess of exports over production has reduced stocks of chip grades also to a low level. Export of Kauri-gum. For the year ended 31st March, 1936, the export amounted to 2,669 tons, of the value of £75,802, an average price of about £28 per ton. The tonnage, value, and average price per ton of the export for the past sixteen years are — _ , r , Average Year ended Tonnage Value. per Ton. 31st March. exported. £ £ 1921 6,1.31 524,701 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 J 927 4,529 301,335 66 1928 4,531 267,559 59 1929 4,566 241,223 53 1930 4,941 264,452 53 1931 3,145 155,602 49 1932 3,164 124,757 39 1933 2,060 57,970 28 1934 3,378 83,945 25 1935 3,412 91,070 27 1936 2,669 75,802 28

0.—12.

Details of the yearly export, and the country to which exported, from 1924 to 1936 are given below :—

Particulars of Kauri-gum exported from New Zealand from 1924 to 31st March, 1936, inclusive.

Production during the Year. The kauri-gum received at Auckland from the gumflelds for the past eight years is shown, month by month, in the following table : —

1928-29. 1929-30. 1930-31. 1931-32. 1932-33. 1933-34. 1934-35. 1936-36. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. April .. .. 295 339 441 309 405 240 202 221 May .. .. ..390 426 374 394 245 161 224 211 June .. .. .. 331 285 247 263 144 238 148 164 July .. .. ..364 349 309 244 153 162* 150 258 August .. .. 331 317 194 251 43 150 193 172 September .. .. 288 323 214 208 128 219 201 134 October .. .. 356 534 328 192 176 320 307 220 November .. . . 407 441 317 276 182 326 243 260 December .. . . 245 268 277 172 188 209 268 190 January .. . . 290 371 158 194 167 165 312 182 February .. .. 275 412 281 277 213 325 274 220 March .. .. 240 563 386 224 185 289 336 160 Totals .. 3,812 4,628 3,526 3,004 2,229 2,804 2,858 2,392

Kauri-gum Industry Account. The assets of the Kauri-gum Industry Account have been realized, and the account has been abolished by statute. Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given; printing (634 copies), £3 15s.

By Authority : G. H. Loney, Government Printer, Wellington—l 936.

Price 3d.]

2

Country to > 1st April, 1924, to 1st April, 1925, to ! 1st April, 1926, to ; 1st April, 1927, to 1st April, 1928, tc 1st April. 1929 to which exported, j 31st March, 1925. 31st March, 1926. | 31st March, 1927. | 31st March, 1928. 31st March, 1929 31st March, 1930. Tons. £ Tons. £ | Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons £ United States of 2,624 250,379 2,682 211,623: 1,863 136,397 2,087 120,349 2,337 139,672 1,967 127,723 America United Kingdom 2,360 169,975 2,350 179,868 2,036 133,032 2,043 127,401 1,504 77,479 2,425 117 677 Germany .. 117 6,367 107 4,670 127 5,432 119 6,613 234 7,949 100 2^646 Canada .. 97 5,726 101 3,569 144 7,181 165 6,329 208 7,448 202 7'l69 Australia .. 24 2,006 9 1,198 15 911 33 1,448 8 408 106 3'908 Belgium .. .. .. 33 1,168 114 4,563 .. .. 60 1,094 30 '635 France .. 79 5,121 135 9,136 89 6,980 60 3,915 150 5,206 89 3,764 Austria-Hungary Russia .. .. . . Netherlands .. 53 1,917 46 1,809 34 1,950 3 483 29 1,068 2 285 Sweden .. 20 820 .. .. 46 1,929 1 132 Italy .. .. 55 3,546 .. 2 51 2,469 .. .. 10 127 Japan .. 3 162 22 1,027 10 476 20 843 26 772 20 645 Hong Kong Denmark .. .. . . 10 350 China .. .. .. .. .. .. . . 15 25 South African .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 Union Totals .. 5,432 446,019 5,495 414,420 4,529 301,335 4,531 267,559 4,566 241,223 4,941 264,452 Country to I 1st April, 1930, to I 1st April, 1931, to 1st April, 1932, to 1st April, 1933, to 1st April, 1934, to 1st April 1938 to which exported. | 31st March, 1931. j 31st March, 1932. 31st March, 1933. 31st March, 1934. 31st March, 1935. 31st, March, 1936. Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ United States of 823 46,510 681 33,082 268 11,208 875 30,174 394 20,602 553 24,488 America United Kingdom 1,957 96,679 1,968 71,572 1,298 36,150 1,730 37,218 2,267 54,365 1,570 39 181 Germany .. 62 1,508 52 6,725 70 1,104 325 5,093 251 4,986 ' 41 '769 Canada .. 127 4,726 173 4,156 169 3,157 94 2,530 114 2,623 62 1 689 Australia .. 37 1,423 65 1,862 91 2,251 120 3,355 150 3,588 171 3'o58 Belgium .. 43 975 69 1,154 1-5 230 11 208 .. .. 42 889 France .. 71 2,701 94 4,173 83 2,452 143 3,642 116 2,768 122 3,193 Austria-Hungary Russia Netherlands .. 4 218 . . .. . . .. .. .. 3 90 u 262 Sweden .. 10 282 32 837 11 218 20 461 . . .. 57 j 043 Italy . . .... .. . . . . 31 555 28 494 75 825 4 '245 Japan .. 11 580 30 1,196 24 645 32 744 42 1,223 36 985 Hong Kong .. .. . . . . .. . . . . . . 26 Denmark China South African Union Totals .. 3,145 155,602 3,164 124,757 2,060 57,970 3,378 83,945 3,412 91,070 2,669 75,802