SUGAR ONCE MORE.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 July 1923, Page 4

SUGAR ONCE MORE.

( Mercantile (lazet Led ll i- one of the remarkable features of the (iovei nmeiit's interiereme m eoiinueieial aliens that n lias shown a kindly I', '.ard for the Colouid Sugai (_ ciiip-.uiy, lor ihe Huveriiiiienl lias done everything possible to conserve and protect the New Zealand bu-i----l- of this, company. I luring the '■-■a.- | erin 1 and since tile Unvornmeid acted a- ili-i rdml ing agent far the Comp.my. and ibis was excused or justified oil the ground that the <■< stimcrs we,;e get I ing their sugar at a lower price than i-on.-nmers in other countries. This vai■> quite true, but are we to believe tliai ibe Coloni J

Sugar Company acted will, generosity without any ulterior motive' It obviously (aid the coup any to have ns business pruiecie I by Hie (lovei union!. ami the low price at which sugar was sold through the Cm i-i iiieoiit was the | i ice the company paid in - l he protection. A ciinee".; like the Colonial Sugar Company does not act on impulse nor i-. il even ael Hated by sentiments o: geiierusity or heiievoleiicc. the Hoveriiment recently indicated that the euiitrnl of sugar would be ab uiduiied. and there is an iuiliicdin;e warning IT nm Ha- company ilia, t'e ri lining works m Cliet-o-!. Auckland, would !:,- ohisi d down iinh'-s a duty ol :bLilli, of Id. was in, I , - .1 and Ha-(nivernun-m seelns an .n.ii- l a aaee la Lo i lie e nupain clemainL. If is staled llial lliis duty would lie impused for a year only, hot we know what that means, for we have seen ii in connect ion with sugar eouliol, it will be continued for ie-t another six m.ntlis. or for another \ <•': r only ami s.; become permsiootd. IP!•:!'.• the advent i i' t' : e Coloni ‘1 Sugar ( omp-any. I lie locrdu:'- of New Zealand inanageil lo -I'i■ ]■ I> wnsunu'is w ith all the sugar that w as require.l. -md il was not quite so t .vy m:ii ic- then a- il v ui.l be now . Thirty in lolly w ar- a -o Now Ze:tIniitl ineri banl- imp aued -ugar from .Maui il in-. ! mlia. 1 iiiua. .Im. -' and (Jiieen-d.iiid. Tee l dua -.ugar- veil ranke 1 aim tigs! He- line-1 imported, and the sugar known as “M ill-quin."' lTv.:,i i nmeii-h tul. wa- a!-,. \eiy line. ’I I, ~ jii-> I lib Sugar mo on | he - "lie, e -I a ! J i hed re - line ie; at Am-!-.kind, and by the system of teludes , in uTatn firmly 1 j, ,l , a New I- ml. M. r, -hauls v.c-'e in a grip "ul "I whn-li they eenhi nm wriggle, and -nl no I ly became tbe ( .. rly pa.d s‘,-1 vmil-i of Hv v for I he .list i mu! ion of sugar. Ti e e "Upiilly ne-.-ep-l-ll Ho risks, bill Kept tbe mer, 'mills w, II under <“ uli-, 1 . U secure I an absolute m unI ly . I 1 If sugar t ado ■ f New Zee--1,,nil and lb.' nic- reliants had la win l he in ice and tm m- i!:el te l : y the cm:,> any. for i: \ :• • i't a |.i -:lum I u diet- to. When u- , ' •'•!>■ there ' eivi'. probability I bat t i i ti mi.'i oly wt nid le brought la, mi --ad. mul tlm ll V e. O'- ntly • tbs' I ! s-'bili ll', . , i i be si, : a l inn : ml t heir -igni|l and deftly managed lo get ilm (T-.iv-i'iimi'iit I" haia'ine t :v sol" di—tributor of tlm -mpatty's sugar. and

n? already 'stated the price paid .by the company was the low quotation for sugar to consumers.

The old relations existing between the company, and the merchants was brought to an end by the war and the subsequent and unnecessarily prolonged interference .of the Government, and if the latter would stand out of the business the merchants would promptly impart sugar from Java and elsewhere, and would he able to fight the company to a finish for its supplies of raw sugar from Fiji are short, and it is importing from Java itself. Under a threat of closing down the refinery at Auckland the Colonial .Sugar Company asks lor a duty of d-lOths of Id. to he placed on imported refined -ugar lor one year. In a. year tile position would be changed. for the company would have plenty of ti.nie in which to again round up the Xcw Zealand merchants and tie them dov ii ns of yore. We want this C'nloni.,| Sugar Company's monopoly < I N"> w Zealand's sugar supply to end. Why mo-t we in New Zealand he compelled to consume the sugar obtained Item Fiji only? Why cannot wc have « choice of sugars? Sugar is a worldwide commodity and wc can impoit it from several countries. Years ago we used to get in barrels, extremely fine beet sugar from Europe, and we ee,n get that class of pugar again unless the Government is bent upon cnslavim' us to the Colonial Company.

The people demand that the Guvcniloenl cense to control sugar and lea to the market absolutely l>'ee. No control. no duty i< the slogan of the day. It is no i rime for the people to ask l;> Ise allowed to get their supplies of sugar from wherever possible, and to 1 v ab'e to have a choice < I sugars.