WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 May 1924, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES.

THE SUGAR PROBLEM

(Special to “Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, May 28. Tlie Government played with the sugar problem during the war as they did with wheat and other commodities, hut it must he said that they were fortunate as regards sugar, for that commodity was maintained at a reasonable price. Eventually when the Government abandoned control a duty was placed on sugar to give the Colonial Sugar Company a chance, hut it was indicated that the duty would he temporary and in point of fact it expires in September. Parliament is to meet next month, and unless the duty

is continued the Company threatens to clo-o the refinery at Chelsea, which means that Parliament is to he hulldazed into continuing the duty. The !!.l) employees at the Chelsea sugar rc-

iinery met last week and it was unanimously resolved that some measure of protection was absolutely necessary if the interest of the workers was taken into consideration. The interest of the 101) workers is not the only interest that must he taken into consideration. The population of New Zealand is 1,330,000 and the interests of this small crowd must he considered also, lint will the Colonial Sugar Company clo-e tile refinery if the duty is abolished ! J The opinion in Wellington is that nothing of the hind will happen, hut that the Company will have to he content uiih a •mailer profit. In the past New Zealand imported sugar from .Mauritius, India, China and Java and .sonic of the best sugar came from China. We also imported Queensland sugar, the ".Milhiquin” liinitd finding i a ready sale. First mark, guaranteed sugar also came Irom Europe in barrels and very line sugar ii was. Then the Colonial Sugar Company came on the scene, ami by systems of rebates and other commercial devices the Company secured a virtual monopoly of the sugar trade of New Zealand, at all events very little if any. foreign sugar comes into the Dominion. “Is it wise of the people of New Zealand,” asks a Wellington morclnint. "to place

themselves at the mercy of a single i oinpaiiyWould it not he better to

have sonic competition and import

s.ignr from other muniries. Then* is a desire to open up trade with Java, ami here is an opportunity ol reciprocity.” The dutv on sugar should not

he continued. DAI BY PRODUCE MARKET

The Dairy Control Board has been in .existence some little while now, and seems to he lying law. for nothing has been heard from the Board since certain members were dispatched on a joy tour of the world. We have thus to rely upon private advices, and private advices receiv'd i:i Wellington indicate that the butter market i' quiet with a downward tendency. Bill an improvement is expected later on. It is repotted that some Danish butter sold to America is being sent lim it t.) England for sale, and the Germans are reducing their purchases. ’I he elimination of the German demand was immediately reflected ill the price of the Danish product and the price was reduced from 20's to lids, a drop of tit’s per ev. t., hut. towards last week the price was raised tis to I’-'-s, owing to the ready demand. The question ol u bother prices will improve depend* largely on the probable supplies avail-

able from the Northern Hemisphere. During the past two years European supplies have expanded, and there is c.o reason to believe that there will he

cuv falling oil' this season, on the con-n-ary. there is reason to believe that the re will lie a substantial increase became Km-ian supplies are expected to he e.M-optionally large, it was (climated some time ago by one authority at 21,00(1 tons. If Europium supplies i mile up to expectation piices will not advance. The choose market is said to be depressed owing to heavy stocks held in store. It has been discovered tlmL the storage accommodation for cheese is not of the hc-t, and coiisef|llenlly cheese that lias been some lime in* store is beginning to deteriorate. The heavy slocks are a inenaeo to the market and there can he no iveoveiy until slocks are materially reduced. I'm lories are strongly advised to release a percentage of their holdings. There is very little hope oh cheese rising above the present level. I’AiI.WAV HOURS. The short lived strike of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants has proved disastrous to the strikers. The railway servants have now to work •Ist hours per week, the new system coming into operation on .Monday. This apparently means four hours work without any increase in wage:.'.

According to statements, the men, liefore the strike, Here working H hours per week, but were being paid for four hours overlime, now they work •!>' hours per week without any overtime

pay, this i-, in a roundabout way

reduction of wage*, lit the old days the slogan of I lie manual labourer was. eight hours work, eight hours pTav, eight bonis sleep and eight hob a day. The slogan in a good many trades in recent years lias been, four hours graft, two hours loaf, ten hours play, eight hours sleen and a pound a day. Hut economic conditions cvervyherc are shaping for a change, and it seems evident that we must all work longer hours and work honestly to maintain output. But, before that time the profiteer and the exploiter must be driven out of their lairs. The people will want cbeaii broad, cheap porridge, cheap eggs and bacon, and they will resent being exploited bv the timber merchant, rue cement manufacturer, ihe landlord and the taxgathercr.