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0.—12 a.

Whereas by a warrant dated the twenty-first day of February, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-one, and issued under my hind and the public 'seal of the Dominion, you were appointed a Commission to inquire into and report on various matters affecting the kauri-gum industry, and you were directed and required to report to me not later than the thirty-first day of March, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-one: And whereas the time within which you were required to report was extended to the thirty-first day of M.ay, one thousand nine hundred, and twenty one : And whereas it is expedient that the said period should be further extended as hereinafter provided: Now, therefore, I, John Rushworth, Viscount Jellicoe, Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand, in exercise of the powers conferred by the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1908, and all other powers and authorities enabling me in that behalf, and acting by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said Dominion, do hereby extend the period within which you are required to report until the eleventh day of June, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-one. And, with the like advice and consent, and in further pursuance of the said power and authority, I do hereby confirm the said Commission except as herein varied. Given under the hand of His Excellency the Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand ; and issued under the Seal of that Dominion, at the Government House at Wellington, this 30th day of May, 1921. D. H. Guthrie, Minister of Lands. Approved in Council. C. A. Jeeeery, Acting Clerk of the Executive Council.

REPOET.

To His Excellency the Right Honourable John Rushworth, Viscount Jellicoe, Admiral of the Fleet, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Member of the Order of Merit, Knight Grand Cross of the Loyal Victorian Order, Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Majesty's Dominion of New Zealand and its Dependencies. May it please Your Excellency,— We, the Commissioners appointed by Your Excellency on the 21st day of February, 1921, to inquire into matters affecting the kauri-gum industry, the kauri-gum lands and their various products, and the question as to whether any special taxation, by way of royalty or otherwise, should be placed on kauri-gum products for the benefit of local bodies within kauri-gum districts, and to report upon the matters referred to in the Commission, a copy of which is attached hereto, have the honour to report as follows : — We assembled at Auckland on the 14th March, 1921. After'a short opening address by the Chairman, various matters were discussed, and the itinerary for the Dargaville district and the Coromandel Peninsula was arranged. Leaving Auckland on the afternoon of the same day we arrived at Dargaville on the following morning, and inspected the workings of the principal gumfields in the vicinity. On the 16th March a sitting was held at Dargaville. where a considerable amount of evidence was given by persons representing various interests concerned in our inquiry. On the 17th March one section of the Commission inspected gum workings at Te Kopuru, and the farming of what were formerly poor gum lands in the neighbourhood, while another proceeded to the coast, where exceptional facilities existed for making a close examination of the strata of gum-bearing country.