11

H.—24

APPENDIX.

Area of Gumfields (very roughly estimated).

North of Auckland. 380,000 acres | 74,000 acres | 120,000 acres | 150,000 acres Total, 724,000 acres. South of Auckland. 35,000 acres | 9,000 acres | 11,000 acres | 9,000 acres Total, 64,000 acres.—This area does not include about 100,000 acres of forest land lying between Hikutaia and Mercury Bay. ' Grand total, 788,000 acres.

Number and Nationalities of Gum-diggers.

* The numerical totals of Maoris and settlers are greater than those above- given, but they have been reduced to what we believe to be their equivalent in able-bodied men working full time. These classes only work during half the year; and, in the case of the Maoris, women and children preponderate. We have reduced the number of settlers to one-half, and the Maoris to two-fifths.

Synopsis of Peincipal Conditions in Agbeements for Gum-digging on Leased or Private Lands. 1. Mitchelson Brothers. —No payment for digging. The digger is only a bailee of the gum for the firm until it is delivered at their store. The firm has the right to fix the quality and price of the gum, but is bound to pay the fair and reasonable value. The digger to leave the land on receiving forty-eight hours' notice. Number of diggers. 436, exclusive of Maoris. 2. Samuel Bawnsley. —One pound per annum for license to dig, which goes to the Native owners, and a royalty of Is. per cwt., which is deducted by the lessee from the price of the gum. The digger is bound to sell the gum to the lessee (who is strictly only agent for the Native owners). Number of diggers, other than Maoris, 90 to 100. 3. A. E. Harding. —License-fee, £1 for three months. The digger is restrained from carting gum or other goods, or selling them on the field. Upon breach of conditions he is to leave upon forty-eight hours' notice. Number of diggers, 170. 4. Molesivorth and Saies. —No payment for digging. The gum is the property of the firm, and is to be sold to no one else, but the digger is entitled to receive for it the fair market price. Number of diggers, 70, besides 330 Maoris.

Eabnings of Gum-diggees. We have estimated this, in answer to question 5, at £1 75., which we think is a fair deduction from the general evidence given. The result may be approximately checked as follows : If the output of gum for 1892 be taken as 8,404 tons, and the number of diggers at 6,897, the average per man per annum would be about If tons. This, at the above rate of wages, would give a value of about £56 per ton for the gum exported. Allowing a small reduction in this value for whatever quantity may be used in the colony, there is nothing in this result, which can only be regarded as approximate, to necessitate an alteration of our estimate. It must, of course, be remembered that the price of kauri-gum has now seriously declined.

Crown Land. Land Disposed of by Crown. Land Passed Native Land Court. Land not Passed Native Land Court.

North of Auckland. Coromandel and Waikato. ' British— Married Single 1,080 2,373 Maoris* Settlers who dig* Austrians— Married Single 17 497 3,453 1,114 353 850 130 63 514 345 5 70 Other foreigners 5,779 1,118 Total 6, 197