Untitled

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 126, 20 October 1853, Page 3

Income from produce.

In a previous number we claimed the attention of our readers to a plan for the manufacture of Beet Sugar in this country, and endeavoured to show them with what success the operation had been carried on in various lands. Since then, we have received (by the brig Sptnar) further information on thai very important topic, from .Melbourne. Several meetings of persons interested in the establishment of A Heel Sugar factory in'Now'Zealand have taken place;—a eh aland satisfactory exposition of its jjreal ad-

vantages has been sol forth; and a Company with a large capital, —IOO,OOO/. has been projected. The required capital (wo are assured.) would easily have been raised in Melbourne; but the projectors were desirous of alTording the people of New Zealand (assuredly most interested in the success of the undertaking), an opportunity of bumming parlies to and shareholders in the concern. Il was at first, wo are told, contemplated to make Victoria the field of the Company's operations; but there were practical objections, which nee ded but to be pointed out to convince the projectors of their force: Van llicmen's Land was next proposed; but there, too, there existed many and pal-i pable difficulties, so that (hat country was, j in liu n, abandoned for the Province of l Auckland, of wliom- inherent fertility, and superior adaptability to the culture of Ihe | root, the projectors became so fully satisfied, ' that we have every reason to believe but a ' very short period will elapse before a Heel [ Sugar Factory will be brought into active operation in this city. I We congratulate our readers on the brilliant prospects that an; thus held out to ' litem. We know of no scheme by which so many interests are certain to be served : —no | project so sure to enrich alike they rowers ol'ihc , loot, and the producers of its sugar. The. following particulars will show upon what) rational calculations the Company has been '< formed. These calculations will, we trust, animate every agriculturist lo study his own I best interests, by using all his exertions to promote those of a Company which must inevitably become Ihe unfailing customer of the farmer, and Ihe largest employer of the merchant and ship owner. Pnonn.noN or Uixr-rmor Sur.xn tx -\i:» 7.i:\i.am>. (From Ihe " Melbourne Aryn.<" of \~ilh ,1 ».</.,• A pleminary meeting of gentlemen, who propose forming a company to promote the cultivation of the bect-rool in New Zealand, with a view to the manufacture of sugar, was held on Monday, at Passmore's Hotel, for the purpose of receiving a statement on ihe subject from Mr. J. Sullivan, a gentleman who was connected with the beet-root sugar manufactory in Ireland. Mr. Sullivan accordingly read the following statement, observing al the same lime, that the item set down for cost of land woidd most probably be saved, by the Cioverument of New Zealand (on finding the valuable nature of the business which it was proposed to establish) making the proposed company a free grant of land for Ihe purpose, lie might add thai New Zealand was scloilcd as the field of operations at present, in consequence of Ihe great cheapness of labour there. 'lhe following were Ihe views Ik; wished (o I submit lo the gentlemen whom Ik; had now ! the pleasure to address: j C'lillietilion inul Muniifirlurrof iieel-rnul Sinjur i in Xeic Xrnlmul. I A branch of industry which has acquired ; large and profitable development in France, j llelgium, Holland, Cermany, and Ireland, ! is thai of preparing sugar from beet-rool. '■ Thc'cireninslanrcs of New Zealand, both as j regards climate, soil, and labour, are in the , highest degree favourable toils introduction; i mid as thi! recent .Manager of Ihe Irish , Itcet-rool Sugar Company (who lias so successfully, carried out the undertaking) is a ! shareholder, il will enable ihe manufacture ' to be carried on, not only with certainty of large profits being yielded, but also of; furnishingsuppliesorthenianufarlnrrd article j ready for market in less I let 11 three days: from" the lime the raw material is lakcu up. The present company has been formed for Ihe purpose of establishing on a scab- ra:ii- 1 mensuralc with its magnitude and importance. , Ihe tuantii i.-ire of sugar from bcel-rool in ' New Zealand. ! (iiiiiruiilif of /urn v.; in tin- mult rlnii'iij. To render any branch ofbusiuess luera!i\c. whelher Ihe field of occupation be larg • small, die article produced must he—lst, in universal request; -Jud, easy and certain of production; .~rd. equal in quality lo any competing product. A brief ouisidrraSion of lhe.se oleiueiils ofsiicce.-s will diiuoiisli a'.e Ihe fact lint sugar muir.il'ncr.n el from

ljeet-root, regarding it as a commercial possesses lliem in ;iu cniinciil degree. \si. It is in universal request. The gradually increasing use of sugar is generally admitted; the consumption is now immense. In 1817, which may be taken as a lair average for the last eight years, (Jreal Britain alone imported 530.280,000 lbs. weight, upon which a duly was paid of 3,030,04-2/. Thousands of capitalists have now their minds lived upon Mew Zealand Tor a home, and a faint conjecture can scarce be given, as to the importance it will auain in a fewyears hence. The home consumption of New Zealand w ill not be very great, but the agricultural resources of the country would be brought to bear, and a steady anil certain market lor permament labour. The Irish Heel-root Sugar C ompany pay a dividend of 8 per cent, and a duty of I Of. per ton, and the manufactured article fetches a higher price in the market than Ihe cane sugar, l.and can be had in New Zealand for 10s. an acr/; forever. VJnil. It is easy and certain of production. Almost every country on the. continent of Europe has demonstrated that beet-root sugar can be produced in temperate climates, so as lo successfully compete will) the produce of the sugar-cane. In lNew Zealand there is no department of manufacturing industry which is fraught with such peculiar advantages as the product ion of sugar from beet-root, giving, as il unquestionably would do, a great impetus lo ils agriculture, by the consumption of a raw material of home produce. In the growth of roots of all kinds it is well known ihe country stands pre-emii:ent. At Ihe agricultural exhibitions, ihe specimens sent fully guarantee that 30 tons lo Ihe acre can easily be produced willuml bringing ilia large amounlof careor skill in Ihecullivation. It has been satisfactorily proved llial roots grown in New Zealand are also peculiarly iiigli in saccharine matter,— a circumstance wlii: 11, lakcn in connection with the greater size and weight of roots, clearlv indicates ils adapialion loheccmethegrealcslsiigarronn lOin the world. In Trance, Itclgium, Holland, and (iermauy, the average is 23 tons lo Ihe acre; in Ireland Ihe average is 30 tons to ihe acre. The soil of New Zealand is equal (o \ 2?> lons (a the acre for Ihe lirst two years; s but il is an undoubted fan thai 20 lons will pay bo! Ii Ihe Company and llie grower. In respeel lo the time occupied in llie manufacture, e\ery compelilnr would be Icli at a.distance, l-'illy years since llie process ol producing loaf-sugar ready for the market occupied-more llian three inonihs; but now, by llie recently improved operations, refined sugar is produced from llie juice of Ihe roots in Ihe short space oT two anil a-lialf hours, and in less llian Iwo days the loaves are perfectly dried and ready for use. Nor in (lie item of labour has llie conlilienlal or Irish manufacture any advantage ; llie low price; that land can be had at will inoie lhan compensate llie higher rale of wages. To complete the statement of advantages, it is only necessary to add, thai a comparison of the produce ol* sugar from llie sugarcane per acre, in llie West Indies, with llie quantity yielded by heel-root per acre, shows it to be actually one hundred per cent, superior. 3rd. Il is equal in quality to any competing product. .Some fears may bo expressed by enquirers unacquaintedVilli the real merits of the question, lesl llie beetroot sugar should be less valuable in its sweetening quality than that produced by (lie sugar-cane. Hut such apprehensions are proved by experience lo be wholly without foundation; the sugars produced from beet-rool by a peculiar process have none of that offensive smell and lasie which have raw beet-root sugar taking the . place of llie muscovado, ami are now abso- ! lutely llie same in quality as that produced ' sugar cane; in facl, the samples of j i-'irli kind are undisiinguishablc except lo a 1 thorough judge. I Estimate of Ihe cost of working one fae- ' lory in New Zealand, manufacturing two ions of sugar per day, for 313 working days. Cost of mniiii/tnltiir.

'l'lii' rust of general management will be j lalcahly divided over :ill (In- establishment; i tin* capital i<< 111 i ic-( I for each I'aclorv is ■ Ki.don/. AtUintl'iyatus I 'nihil- />/' l.nnil. To flu* I:iihli'(l proprietor anil fanner the introduction ol'llio heel-root sugar manufacture in ,\(»w Zealand must prove of iuestiin- ' able advantage. (In the Continent anil in Ireland, dm manufacture of sugar absorbs a • very considerable portion of land in the cul- • (ivaiion ol' bpi't-rool, and the produce coin- j mauds :> highly remunerative prolil. lint ' as il is now uyivcrsally admitted llial tin; success of agricultural operations dpppmls ! chiefly ii(ioii the proportionate number of: rattle supported, it is of importance to slate ' that the leaves ol' the licet, alter the root has been drawn, may be preserved bv sailing to serve as (odder for cattle. Il i-i proved • beyond a doubt that caltle Iced with eager- • ncss and improve iu condition on Ihe sailed leaves ol' the beet-rool, and thai this I'ood has a h.tppy iulhiptirc on the quality and abundance ol'(lie milk, and the butler which il produces possesses all the qualities or that from summer Cecil. The sugar I'arnier iu .New Zealand will Ihercliire gain, along willi the proiluce ol' the rools, the additional advantages ol' tin' grazing and dairy faun. (initial O'l/i rrii/ioii.i. The; pulp which rea.ains after the juice is extracted averages at least '■>.'> per cent, of the raw material, and il is ascertained to be excellent food for cattle. The scum from the desiccating pans, being a residue of charcoal, iVc., is proved to be capital manure, and in many cases far exceeds guano. Iu (he process of manufacturing sugar from llio hiet-root, certain portions ol' the machinery require occasionally to be thrown out ol' gear, by which means a great amount or steam goes to wasle. To economise this, it is proposed that a circular saw and American planing-machine be lixed, with gearing rea.lv to start iinmediatulv, and if found sullicicnlly lucrative, a brick machine can also be applied. At the conclusion of the statement it was agreed the meeting should be adjourned to Monday next, at twelve o'clock, at l'assmore's Hotel. I

& s. d. To 9396 tons beet-root, at 1/. per ton 9,396 0 0 Manufaetura of 626 tons sugar, at 10/. per tou, including ruauagement 6,260 0 0 Wear anil I'.-ar o)' planl . . . i",00 0 0 ' .cii;,iiiii o o

X s.d. lty first quality, 351 tons or whileloaf sugar, at iiOf. per ton I9,ljo0 0 0 By second quality, u7 toils of crushed lump, at •«)/. per ton 2,280 0 0 I!y third quality, l.'>(> tons of bright yellow sugar, at 28/. per Ion* .J.30.S 0 0 Ily fourth quality, (52 tons oT comiiioii yellow sugar, al 18/. per toil 1,1 It; III) Ily fil'lli quality, l.'iG tons molasses. for making vinegar, at 11. per ton 1.01)2 0 0 ■l'28,.'il 2 0 0