THE SUGAR SHORTAGE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2082, 27 January 1920, Page 3

THE SUGAR SHORTAGE.

VIEWS UP 'FIJIAN PLANTER. An interesling Idler relative lo the sugar shortage appears in Hie Auckland Observer from the pen of the Hon. Jaini'.-. D. Turner, a Fijian planter, who was formerly a tanner at I’ukekohe. He say.-«: “’The abnormal demand for sugar is uoi a cause of the shortage, hut is a coiisepueiiee of Hie shortage. There would have been no abnormal demand for -ug*ir, and incidentally Hie demand has not been salislied, if there had not been a shorlage. 'The whole and sole cause of the shorlace of sugar is to he attributed to the Colonial Sugar Refining Company. This company has for years been paying such a starvation price to the planters for cane —a price Ilia 1' is 2b to 50 per emit, less than it pays for Hie same (pmlity cane in Queensland —a price that il cannot grow it for. So to-day, in I hi l Rewa district, there is practically not one white cane planter where three or Jour years ago there were dozens. They have ail had to cease cane growing. ’Tis true there are a .lew Indians growing cane in small patches, hnl even Hie Indians are ceasing lo prodm-e cane. I ((note Irom a. Id lei' ! received from Rewa (Fiji) last mad: ‘lndians on Hie (.Fiji ) have got very pool-prices for their cane, 1 hear that tour or live .Indians at Lower Rewa uad about 20 lo 25 acres of very line cane, and I hey cut out four or live punt loads, for which they received 1-20. They "'ere so disgusted that they 'cut down Hie balance ol cane am! ploughed - the whole h d out. “The price paid lo the Indians would he ahold os per ton, and I am able to -dale that il cost them at least 10s per lon to grow il and put it into Hie punts. F.irther, ! would say that in ljueensiand the Colonial Sugar Rciiiiing i oiupauv would have been glad to pa \ at least 15s per ton for 1 e same cilia lily of cane. The real reason of Hie shorlage o| sugar is Hie shorlage <d’ cane in Fiji.'