The Evening Star MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1873.

Evening Star, Issue 3382, 22 December 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1873.

The project of a Sugar Refinery, thought; of in Dunedin, launched in Wellington, and grumbled about in Auckland, is worthy the earnest attention of all classes here. In many respects it is very desirable .that so important an industry should take root with us, for there is much more implied in it than the mere employment of labor in the actual process, in ail manufactures, that which is seen of labor is the icj.st, In walking through a refinery, and examining the different processes of filtration, decolorisatiou, and crystallisation, we perceive a number of men employed, and. in ,the after processes of packing for distribution, there are so many more ; but they form only a very small portion of those who actually help in the process. There are far more concerned outside the factory than within. Without minutely enumerating, we may observe wc do not grow’ the raw material; therefore, leaving out of .consideration those engaged in the plantations, our chipping would be largely employed in bringing the raw material. We could not consume all thatepufd bfc refined, in even a small refinery, and therefore it would be necessary to employ Vessels as distributors to those places where purchasers lived. The probability is therefore that a sugar refinery would prove the means of vastly enlarging the area of our commercial relations, and since the imports must be paid for in sorao shape or other ; either directly or indirectly with our own produce, an impetus would be given to certain industries which would tend to develop our internal resources. At present wc draw our supplies of sugar mainly from the Mauritius, or at secoa l hand from Melbourne. But now we are only consumers, not manufacturers. If we engage in the manufacture of sugar, our markets far purchase need not be cqnfined to those countries. There arc numberless i planes in which cane sugaris produced where it i could be purchased on were iavorabje terms

than in Mauritius, Fiji, or the islands of the .South Seas. Many countries iu South America, with which it would be very profitable to opew up trade, produce sugar ; and New Zealand, is not only favorably situat'd for trade with them, but we believe would be able to supply them with produce, of wi.ioh they stand much in need. It is even quite within the range of probability that through the advantages this Colony possesses, those countries may he supplied with their own sugar refined in Zealand, and placed on their tables for less cost than they could do it themselves ; just as the inhabitants oi the Cast Indies cun he more cheaply cl tlmd in calicoes manufactured in throat Britain from cotton grown in India, than if they themselves wove fabrics of equal quality, blew Zealand, in fact, has a great advantage over Melbourne and those countries in the price of coal, and in this respect Dunedin has advantages over the other ports now projecting refineries. The cost of coal is a very serious item in the expenses of a sugar refinery. In fact, it may ho. said to enter into every part of the process, and fortunately our brown coals are available for the purpose. We do not need to go to Newcastle for supplies, nor to the Buffer. Green Island, Shag Point, or Kaitangata will supply all we need at an immense saving upon the price paid in Melbourne or even Wellington. In fact, the difference in the cost of coal would prove a handsome profit on the money invested. There is therefore prhna fa k a strong presumption that a well managed refinery eatab ished in Dunedin, would prove one of the mos, advantageous manufactures for the Gitv, the Province, and the Colony, that could he entered upon. Or viewed m another light, of which we are not able to speak with equal confidence, and assuming th it it was r> solved to manufacture beet root sugar ; although our commercial operaturns would he more circ .msaib. d, and in all probability the energies of our farmers somewhat differently directed than in growing crops to exchange for raw sugar, a new field would be opened up for agricultural development that would add materially to the prosperity of the count ry. On on; very mat'rial question, the extent of demand, mo it persons willing to enter into the speculation would Ike to have information. It is evident there is a race between Dunedin, Wellington, Nelson, ai,d Auckland, as to which shall, have the refinery. It is, however, no use disguismg the matter ; it will not pay to have more than one refinery in the Colony On reference to the returns laid before Parliament last Session, we find that the quantity of sugar and molasses which went into consumption during the financial year 1872, was about 9,500 tons, or between 18 ; and 190 tons a week. It may now be fairly estimated at 200 tons weekly. J'ho probability, therefore, is that a refinery would bo able to dispose of 100 tons per week in the Colony, on the assumption thai the sugar can be supplied at less cost and of equal quality with imported sugars Because of the cheapness of our coal, we believe this can be done ; and we there fore consider that the Provincial and General Governments should combine to establish such an industry by offering liberal eu courageinent to it. The Provincial Govern incut especially is interested, and a gift of laud, of whatever value, would be a low price to pay for it.