AUSTRALIAN SUGAR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1813, 28 July 1913, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN SUGAR.

BOUNTY SYSTEM ABOLISHED. By Toleurapli—Press Asßoolatlon—Codjtlblil Melbourne, July 26. Following the passage of tlio Sugar Bills in tho Queensland Parliament, a Federal proclamation has been issued abolishing tho excise duty and bounty on sugar grown in Australia by whito labour.

Tho payments under tho Commonwealth Sugar Bounties Act have run at between .£550,000 and ,£650,000 per annum during the last few years. The rate of bounty provided by tho Sugar Bounty Act, 1903, was four shillings per ton of cane grown by white labour giving 10 per cent, of sugar, tho bounty to be increased or reduced proportionately according to > any variation from this standard. This Act remained in force until December 31, 1900, wlien it was superseded by tho provisions of the Sugar Bounty Act, 1905, which extended the principle of bounties to the end of the year 1912, but stipulated that during the years 1911 and 1912 tho rates payable on cane delivered shcnld be respectively two-thirds and one-third of the rates prevailing during tho earlier years of the period. During the 1910 session of the Commonwealth Parliament an amending Act (the Sugar Bounty Act, 1910) was passed repealing the provision for successive decrements in the amount of bounty payable, and thus leaving tho bounty at full rate applicable for an indefinite time. The rate of bonus allowed under this Act was six shillings per ton of cane of 10 per cent, quality grown by white labour, provided that tho Tates of wages and conditions of employment of such labour were fair and reasonable, in accordance with the provisions of the Act. Under the Sugar Bounty Abolition Act, 1912, assented to on December 21, 1912, the various provisions for sugar bounties wcro repealed, the Act to come into operation by proclamation.