SUGAR SUPPLIES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2238, 12 February 1921, Page 4

SUGAR SUPPLIES.

NO GOVERNMENT HOARDING

EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION

Replying to a criticism of a Northern newspaper on the methods of j the Board of Trade in allotting sugar supplies in the Dominion, the Hon. E, P. Lee (Minister of Indus-’ tries and Commerce) made some interesting comments this week. “The writer of the article,'' 5 said Mr Lee, “assumes that the Board of -Trade has ample supplies of sugar to meet the normal demand, whereas the position is that the quantity refined m New Zealand is not sufficient for the Dominion’s needs, and therefore supplies available have had to be allocated. The shortage is not peculiar to one township, but has been general throughout the Dominion. In order to supply'the extra quantity required for jam-making purposes, the board has cut down supplies to non-essential industries and increased the rjuantities to tlie utmost limit to merchants and grocers. The Government has been successful in securing an extra 1,000 tons of refined sugar from Sydney, and this quantity has enabled the Board ofjfrade to allocate additional supplies to the whole of • the North Island. Grocers in North Auckland districts were last week allotted an increase of 33 1-3 per cent, over usual supplies, and il is proposed to continue this increase as long as possible. “It is not correct to say that the Board of Trade is refusing supplies of sugar, nor is it correct to say that tiie Board is discriminating unfairly iti the allocation of sugar by allowing increased supplies in some eases and a bare ration in others. Special exceptions have not been made; the allocation is made as generous as possible, and is based on a turnover basis. If there has been anv unfairness in the distribution, thou the Board of Trade is not responsible. Some grocers -may have given preference to their customers far reasons unknown to the board, hut this has had the inevitable result of making other customers go short. Furthermore, no sugar as is represented is being boarded by the Board: it goes out from week to week as it is refined.”