9

C—l2a

impracticable. The merchants apparently regarded standard grading as imposing a necessity of putting the gum up into certain denned grades, rather than a system of assessing the grades after they have been put up by the merchant according to his usual practice. After long and careful consideration of the whole subject, we axe of opinion that a system of standard grading is not only highly desirable, but is also easily practicable. We therefore recommend — (1.) That it is advisable that there should be a standard grading of kauri-gum for export, and that a Government grader of kauri-gum be appointed, such officer having no other connection with the kauri-gum industry. (2.) That at present there should be no interference with the particular grades put up by merchants for export. (3.) That, in order to prevent the possibility of any disorganization of trade, it is not at present desirable to compel an exporter to have his gum graded or classified by the Government grader. (4.) That, in grading any gum. already put up for export, account should be taken separately of the following characteristics : (1) Size ; (2) hardness ; (3) colour ; (4) cleanness ; (5) moisture ; the grading officer, in giving his certificate, to state points given for each of the above characteristics. (5.) That the following names of classes and subclasses at present generally recognized by the trade should be officially recognized in Government grading : — Class 1 —White range gum — (1.) Dial or bright gum. (2.) Rescraped. i (3.) Seven-eights scraped. (4.) Three-quarter scraped, or No. 1 ordinary. (5.) No. 2 ordinary, including good hard nuts. (6.) No. 3 ordinary. (7.) Cut or clean chips. (S.) Cut or clean seeds. (!).) Cut or clean dust. (10.) Diggers' chips. (11.) Diggers' dust. Class 2—White swamp gum— (1.) Bold (with heart). (2.) Nuts (with heart). (3.) Weak. (4.) Chips. (5.) Seeds. (6.) Dust. Class 3 Black gum — (1.) Rescraped. (2.) Hold unscraped. (3.) Bl scraped. (4.) B2 scraped. (5.) Bl unscraped (including nuts;. (6.) B2 unscraped (including nuts). (7.) Cut or clean chips. (8.) Cut or clean seeds. (9.) Cut or clean dust. (10.) Washed chips. (11.) Washed seeds. (12.) Washed dust. (lass I Bush gum — (1.) Rescraped limb bush. (2.) Limb bush " all in." (3.) Ground bush and garbs. (4.) Bled bush.

2—C. 12a.