SUGAR-BEET INDUSTRY

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 103, 22 July 1927, Page 13

SUGAR-BEET INDUSTRY

ESTABLISHMENT IN N.Z. QUESTION IN THE HOUSE (THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON Wednesday. “Investigations are being made by the Department of Industries and Commerce as to the progress of sugar-beet industries in various parts of tho world,” said the Hon. A. D. McLeod, Alinister of Industries and Commerce, in reply to a question by Mr. D. O. Sullivan, Avon, in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. Sullivan had asked what steps the Minister had taken, or proposed to take, for the purpose of establishing the sugar-beet industry in New Zealand. The Minister added that during hia recent visit to Australia he inspected the sugar-beet factory at Maffra, Victoria. It was proposed Tater in the session to place the result of the department’s investigations before the Industries and Commerce Committee of the House and to allow interested parties to give evidence on the local proposals. Mr. Sullivan hoped that the appointment of the Industries and Commerce Committee would not be too long delayed. Air. T. AI. Wilford, Hutt,.said that the Australian report would dampen the zeal of the people who wanted to go in for sugar-beet cultivation. If they were to develop the industry along the same lines in Australia, and had to rely on local production, the price would go up by one third. The Hon. A. D. McLeod: It would go up by £lO a ton at least.