HUGE SUGAR LOSSES

Chronicle (Levin), 10 June 1948, Page 5

HUGE SUGAR LOSSES

press Association)

Watersiders Are Said To Be Crippling Industry

- (Per

AUCKLAND, June '9. The biggest problem facing the Australian sugar industry was the handling through the ports, of a huge earry-over of "1947 season's sugar pius 1948 pro duction, stated Mr. E. B. Knox, cliairman of the Colonial Sugar Relining Co. Ltd., in his annual address to shareholders in Sydney today. Without a • considerable improvement >in the rata of waterfront work, said Mr.: Knox, enormous losses of sugar worth several millions of pounds, were likely to bo 6ustained by producers and the loss of eugar would fall on the Unitecl- Kingdom and possibly on the Austraiian consuming public. The situation obviously jeopardised t'he sugar industry 's ability to hold its overseas markets and therefore affected the future prospefity of the industry. Mr. Knox said the eompany and representatives of the millers.. and growers and of the shipping industry, had collaborated to present the position fully and plainly to the Stevedoring (ndustry Commission and ,that body had been asked to effect speedy" and effective remedial action. A quicker turn-round of all . vessels was urgently needed. More ships would merely aggravate the problem in most trades by still further congesting the ports, as they lay idle waiting for watersiders to haridle them. Aetually 40 per cent. more shipping tonnage was engaged in the Austraiian coastal trade than before the war, said Mr. Knox, yet less cargo was transported because the vessels spent twice as long in port waiting loading and * discbarging. The fact was that tlrere were sufificient vessels. but the calamitouslv slow rate of work of watersiders, coupled with labour disputes, prevented shippers and consigne^s obtaining an adequate serviee compareff with 1931/ Watersiders, who wero still elassed as easual labourers, now worked fewer hours, had greafly increasod amenities, received attendance money on days Avhen no work Avas- available, holidav pav ahd .annual lcave and earned a good average weekly -wage. In return the dailv rate of work on sugar was less than half what it was in 1939. Regularly before the war 100,000 tons of raw sugar a month was shipped from Nortli Queensland ports. Last season only 41,000 tons a month were shipped. The prolonged storage of raw sugai through the wet season in the tropics. directlv due to the waterfront position, Stated Mr. Knox, caused serious deterioration rcsultin.y; in verv heavy" finan"ial loss to jiroducers and a great roduction in- the rate at which sugar could be refuied.