KAURI-GUM INDUSTRY (REPORT ON THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1937.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1937 Session I, C-12

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1937. NEW ZEALAND.

KAURI-GUM INDUSTRY (REPORT ON THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1937.

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

Sir,— Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, Ist August, 1937. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report under the Kauri-gum Industry Amendment Act, 1914, for the year ended 31st March, 1937. I have, &c., W. Robertson, Under-Secretary. The Hon. Frank Langstone, Minister of Lands. Although there was a slight improvement in the market during the year, conditions generally remained stagnant. There is still very little demand for varnish grades of gum, and consequently very little gum of this type is being produced. No definite results are yet apparent as a result of research in connection with the purification of kauri-gum by the solvent process. A new survey of the gum-fields has recently been completed, and the information gathered will enable a more accurate estimate of future supplies of kauri-gum to be made. However, unless the purified gum can be produced at a cost at least on a par with synthetic resins utilized in the varnish and lacquer industries it is doubtful whether any appreciable portion of the market could be regained. The demand for linoleum grades of gum, of which Great Britain takes the major portion, still remains fairly consistent, and prices rose sharply during the year. Production was low as in previous years, and, on account of this, existing stocks were further reduced. Nevertheless, stocks are sufficient to meet current and anticipated demands. It is expected that production of chip grades of gum for the ensuing year will be higher on account of better prices ruling. Export of Kauri-gum. For the year ended 31st March, 1937, the export amounted to 3,613 tons, of the value of £119,649 an average price of about £33 per ton. The tonnage, value, and average price per ton of the export for the past sixteen years are —• Year ended Tonnage Value. Average 31st March. exported. per Ton. 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 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 1937 3,613 119,649 33

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Details of the yearly export, and the country to which exported, from 1925 to 1937 are given below: —

Particulars of Kauri-gum exported from New Zealand from 1st April, 1925, to 31st March, 1937, 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 : — 1929-30 1930-31. 1931-32. 1932-33. 1933-34. 1934-35. 1935-36. 1936-37. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Anril .. 339 441 309 405 240 202 221 346 JL '' 426 374 394 245 161 224 211 229 Tm ?l '' 285 247 263 144 238 148 164 107 tX" " 349 309 244 153 162 150 258 139 August " • • 317 194 251 43 150 193 172 181 September ". •• 323 214 208 128 219 201 134 142 October .. 534 328 192 176 320 307 220 154 November .. 441 317 276 182 326 243 260 501 December .. -.268 277 172 188 209 268 190 291 Tanuarv • ■ 371 158 194 167 165 312 182 160 February " 412 281 277 213 325 274 220 265 March " -.563 386 224 185 289 336 160 233 Totals .. <U528 3,526 3,004 2,229 2,804 2,858 2,392 2,748 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 (640 copies), £3 ss.

By Authority: E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington. —1937.

Price 3d.]

2

JZ2&*. a'fegar ftaaffsa aa&ff3£ Tons £ Tons. f Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. £ Tons. ® United States of 2,682 211,623 1,863 136,397 2,087 120,349 2,337 139,672 1,967 127,723 823 46,510 uStfsu. ...» ™. a ' 127 "MS'« "MS '« "7-.S"« u i:S 1,9 S "SB a=T :: K : « ?:«« » «s "! '« S S:S "5 WS Australia .. 9 1,198 15 6Q g4 3Q 635! 43 975 Frlsr :: 135 9,136 89 60 3,915 150 5,206 89 3,764 71 2,701 Netherlands "46 M09 "34 1,M> " 3 "483 "29 "2 "285 4 218 Sweden ■ • 46 1,929 1 132 10 282 Sweden .. 1Q m JapL" " 22 ' 476 20 843 26 " 2 20 ,. 645 .. 58 ° Hong Kong •. • • • ■ • • • • • • •' '" " " "" [' Denmark .. 10 350 .. • • • • china 15 •• f, ;; ;; South African .. •• - 1_ U Totals .. ~M95 414,420 4,529 301,335 4,531 267,559 4,566 241,223 4,941 264,452 3,145 155,602 L_L 1 1 &S2£®£ | MSgftg[ United States of T °681 T< 268 1M08 T °875 3ofl74 °394 20,602 553 24,488 478 28,844 1,968 71,572 1,298 36,150 1,730 37 218 2,267 54 365 1,570 39,181 2,200 62,963 Germany .. 52 6,725 70 1, 0 2g g2 263 g>228 a :: 1 ; « z'm ™ •« ™ m- »5 ■« "S 7 'SI FrtT " 94 I;1'73 83 2,452 143 3,642 H6 2,768 122 3,193 144 5,584 Switzerland 3 " 90 "n "262 37 943 Netherlands .. .. •• •• •• .. 5 7 1,043 16 560 *7f en ■■ 32 837 31 555 28 494 75 825 4 245 .. Japan" " "30 i',196 24 645 32 744 42 1,223 36 985 45 1,581 Hong Kong .. ■ • • • • • • • • ■ 26 . . • ■ • • • • ■ • • • Denmark China South African •• •• •• Ll__ U Totals .. 3J64 124,757 2,060 57,970 3,378 83,945 3,412 91,070 2,669 75,802 3,613 119,649 —